The First Step
by Durgas Dragon
Summary: Iruka didn’t warrant much attention…until he staggered in the Hokage’s office, barely in one piece. Takes place during the time skip.
1. Chapter 1

**The First Step**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own. I do not make money from this. All I do is plot new ways to embarra—create new situations for the characters to be in.**_

_**Summery: Iruka didn't warrant much attention…until he staggered in the Hokage's office, barely in one piece. Takes place during the time skip.**_

**_Rating: T_**

**Kakashi never took much notice of Iruka. Other than encouraging Naruto's unhealthy obsession with ramen and not knowing his place in the order of things, he didn't warrant much attention. As far as Kakashi was concerned, he was bureaucratic-slaving little chunin (who only reached that rank by extreme luck, weak opposition, and the good graces of the Third) that terrorised students and stupid jounins that didn't know better. He could bellow and glare—Kakashi would give him that—but that was it.**

**No, Iruka didn't need a second glance.**

**That is, Iruka didn't need a second glance until he staggered into the Hokage's office looking worse than something Kakashi's dogs dragged in. The kimono and haori he was wearing at one point would have been a gorgeous set of clothing, but the rips, blood, snags, mud, and other unidentifiable stains had ruined them. Blood matted the heavy brown hair and Iruka not only could barely stand upright, but his arm hung awkwardly on his shoulder.**

**Tsunade glared at the exhausted chunin and Kakashi felt grateful that for once, it wasn't him that was on the receiving end. "Why the hell aren't you in a hospital?" she bellowed.**

**A lesser man would have cowed in the face of such fury. Iruka nodded his head and less destroyed shoulder in something that would pass for an attempt at a bow of respect; clearly, he had no survival instincts. "Information…have to hear…shouldn't wait." He mumbled, his voice painfully dry and scraped.**

**She gestured angrily at Kakashi. "Go away. And _you_," she snarled at Iruka, "are going to go to a hospital _right NOW_!"**

**"Mission was trap." Iruka whispered, ignoring the order. He clearly was fighting to keep his slurring words distinct and unmuddled. "Knew we were coming…saw through it all…hit us with elites…lots of elites…want war…" He swayed dangerously, face going from 'blood loss' white to 'I'm going to die in the next two minutes' white. "Amaya's dead…Hana and Asuma in hospital." Fingers that Kakashi had previously associated with ink and guidance and children's hands fumbled weakly at the remnants of the tattered obi. "Don't know where Li's gone…think he's dead." The cloth fell away and Kakashi stared at the filthy sloppy bandage that it revealed. It started at the top of Iruka's flat stomach and went down to almost his knee. Tsunade made a sick noise at the copious amounts of blood that was seeping slowly from under the soiled material.**

**She ripped the scroll out of Iruka's trembling and limp fingers and flung it in the general direction of Shizune's desk. "Get him up here!" She snapped, the hysterical edge from seeing the blood well-hidden. A single brutal noisy sweep cleared her desk of all paperwork and related objects.**

**Iruka felt too small and floppy when Kakashi scooped him up and carefully placed him on the vacant surface and he felt anger boil under his skin. True, he had never thought well of Iruka when he had given him a thought, but a chunin who spent his day with children and paperwork shouldn't be going on missions with jounins and tokubetsu jounins! He couldn't believe that they were so short on manpower that they would do such a thing.**

**Tsunade made another unhappy sick noise when she got a good look at the wounds underneath the grimy bandage and clothing and Kakashi considered finding a corner to vomit in. As far as he knew, arms should never be in that position and Iruka probably should have lost that leg; how the hell he had walked with it at all baffled Kakashi.**

**"Get me an antidote kit!" Tsunade barked harshly, glowing hands moving rapidly. He heard her mutter as he left something about "stupid _idiot_ never does _anything_ by halves and _always_ makes more work!"**

**He had barely returned when she sent him back out to get more medics. The ashen colour of Iruka's and her face made him leave with a speed he normally reserved for when he was on a mission or when Gai was in the vicinity.**

**Once he sent the med nins to the Hokage's Tower, he did a little informal digging. A little flirting and one-eyed winks had the nurse on duty giggling and eating out of the palm of his hand. He suspected if he asked, she would tell him everything about her and her family and her friends and her family's friends and her friends' families…he made a mental note to complain about the willingness to spill information to Tsunade when she wasn't busy saving Iruka.**

**He thanked the nurse and wandered down the surgery wing. He felt particularly lucky when Kurenai and Kiba were both pacing in the waiting room. Shikamaru was lying across a few chairs with an arm across his eyes while Chouji munched nearby. A small bouquet of flowers sat between them—probably from Ino.**

**"What happened?" He casually asked Kurenai.**

**She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "He's in surgery right now. Along with Hana-san." She added, probably for Kiba's sake. "All they could tell me was that we were lucky that their team mate managed to get them here as quickly as he did." Her voice wavered a little. "I saw Hana-san…"**

**From the way that Kiba's face changed and the way he stomped over to a corner, he had seen his sister as well. He was beginning to think that Iruka's wounds were the pin-up wounds of the groups. "What were they doing?" He asked, offering Kurenai a hospital-issued tissue.**

**Kurenai ironed the fear out of her face and politely waved the tissue away. "I'm not entirely sure. I think it was supposed to be a simple scouting mission or spying or something like that, but they stumbled on something big and it all went wrong from there."**

**He nodded slowly. Not precisely what Iruka had said, but close enough. He politely excused himself, and made his way back to the Hokage's Tower, brain whirling. If the mission was not ranked properly, then it made perfect sense that it accidentally got passed to a chunin, but that still didn't explain the tokujou or Asuma on the mission, much less what Iruka was doing with them.**

**Tsunade looked terribly drained when Kakashi hopped through the window. "What do you want now?"**

**He inclined his head towards the now-empty desk. "How is he?"**

**"Stable." He blinked; for a moment there, when she had rubbed the bridge of her nose, he thought he had seen her illusion slip. "He's going to need a lot of rest after this and some serious physical therapy for his leg. He shouldn't have used it at all, much less run back here with it. The damage was severe enough that if it had been anyone other than me healing him, he would have lost it. It's going to be a while before he gains full use of it again."**

**Kakashi felt something akin to pity drip into his system before he pushed it away sharply. "Why did you send him?"**

**"It was a simple B-ranked mission." Tsunade snapped. "He's done harder than that numerous times, so it shouldn't have been a problem! Besides," she glared at him, "it went wrong, which nobody could have foreseen!"**

**"You sent one chunin with a group of jounins." He stomped on the little voice in the back of his head that asked why he even cared in the first place. "Clearly you thought that it was more than just a 'simple B-ranked mission'."**

**As the exhaustion left her face in favour of anger, he wondered why he questioned her decisions when he knew few things made her madder. Her voice smashed his eardrums and he decided it was his service to Shizune. By questioning the Hokage, he was giving her a place to get rid of all that negative energy and stress that invariably built up. A less stressed Hokage created a better situation for everyone.**

**Everyone but him, that is. Good gods, wasn't she done _yet_?**

**Kakashi knew he shouldn't have questioned her the moment the words "since you're so damn concerned" fell out of her mouth. She was going to punish him, he knew it. This was going to be her revenge.**

**"YOU get to make sure that Iruka doesn't overdo it in the next few months!"**

**Scratch that, she was punishing him for ever being born in the first place. "I'm sure there others who would be better suited for that task." He said lazily, hiding his irritation.**

**"Since you want a mission so damn badly—despite all I've said"—did she really have to go back to the argument they were having before this all happened?—"think of this as your mission. Now," she said, the nasty silkiness suddenly gone, "get the hell out of my office and leave me in peace!"**

**Kakashi wondered if she'd notice if he slipped a laxative into her sake.**


	2. Chapter 2

I am beyond flattered with the response to this piece. It was a long and stressful week, and to come home and find that people wanted to read more really made my life better. I cannot thank all of you who reviewed and watched/favourited this story enough. Thank you.

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**Kakashi glanced over the top of his book as he felt Iruka's chakra change. The man was finally waking up. Pity. Being in charge of sleeping man was terribly boring, but easy. He'd been catching up on the Icha Icha that he hadn't had time to read. Now things were going to get difficult because Iruka was one of the most pig-headed idiots to ever come out of Konohagekure (Naruto certainly hadn't learned it from _him_).**

**Iruka struggled to sit upright and Kakashi crossed the room in a heartbeat and gently pushed the chunin back on to the hospital bed. "You shouldn't try to sit up yet; there was some pretty impressive damage done to you."**

**The dark hazy eyes blinked and some of the glassiness faded. "Ka—" He tried to say and ended up coughing. Kakashi glanced around and found the pitcher he'd been using as a vase and decided it would be best to get water from another source.**

**Getting some from the bathroom, he tucked his arm under Iruka and lifted him up enough to drink and not aggravate his leg-stomach wound.**

**"Thank you." Iruka's voice was still hoarse, but it was better. "Kakashi-san, what are you doing here?"**

**Kakashi arched his eye cheerfully as he helped Iruka lay back down. "The Hokage was worried about you and the extent of your injuries. She wanted to make sure that you had someone make sure that you healed properly."**

**The brown doe eyes regarded him for a moment, now clear of most of their haze. "So who is she punishing?"**

**Kakashi blinked. "What?"**

**"Which one of us is she punishing, you or me? Or is she punishing both of us?"**

**Kakashi blinked again before giving Iruka a big smile. "Now, Iruka-sensei, that's not nice of you to say of our Hokage"—even if it was true—"I just happen to find a turtle in the middle of the road and it told me to see Tsunade-sama and she then sent me here to make sure you're healing properly."**

**"So she _is_ punishing me." Despite the tone, Iruka's eyes held tired, warm amusement.**

**"Our Hokage would never sink that low." Kakashi said primly. "If she were punishing you, it would be Gai here instead."**

**Iruka looked surprised for a moment before the laughter bubbled out. "I don't know about that. Flowery speeches about how wonderful it is that I am still with us in the springtime of my youth might help me heal faster."**

**"It can be arranged." Kakashi informed the chunin dryly.**

**The laughter returned softly. "I'll suffer through you."**

**Kakashi helped Iruka take another sip of water before speaking again. "Both Asuma and Hana-san made it, you know." Iruka winched as his shoulders tightened, the wounded one not liking the change. "They were in surgery for over ten hours each, but the medics say they're going to make a full recovery, thanks to you for getting them here so quickly."**

**"Thank you for telling me." A pained relief had entered the liquid eyes and Iruka turned his head away so that Kakashi had troubles seeing the emotions that crossed the expressive face. Iruka moved his healing arm, winced at the pain, and brought his good hand up to scratch his scar awkwardly. He didn't seem to know what to say.**

**Kakashi pretended not to notice. "Tsunade-sama says that you're going to be fine, but you're going to need physical therapy and—"**

**"What?" Iruka's eyes had sharpened immediately and he stared at Kakashi. "I need physical therapy?" He looked distressed at the thought. "When am I going to have time to—"**

**"Tsunade-sama also said that by no means were you allowed to get within a hundred foot radius of a mission desk or a classroom." Kakashi wondered what kind of idiot thought about working when they had nearly lost their leg. "Preferably something more like five hundred feet. She said something about you taking it easy."**

**Iruka's jaw tightened. "Did she, now." Kakashi watched, interested. He wondered what would happen if he was to lock Iruka and Tsunade in a room together; Tsunade would win any physical fight, but he was beginning to think she would get creamed if it came down to a battle of wills. Either way, the ensuing fight would be deeply entertaining. Maybe he should just get her now and then sit back and enjoy the show.**

**"And pray," Iruka's tight voice brought Kakashi back, "what does she propose be done about the incoming class?"**

**Kakashi shrugged. He didn't care what the little snot-nosed brats did, but then again, teaching wasn't as important to him as it was to Iruka. "I think she put that one with the spiky ponytail in charge. Shikamaru, I think the name was."**

**"She did what?" Iruka's voice had gotten very soft. Inner Kakashi gleefully rubbed his hands together. Oh, this was going to be good. For once, the wrath of Iruka would be unleashed on someone other than him! "She put someone who can barely stay awake in charge of a class of children with sharp objects?"**

**"Well, could be worse." Kakashi said cheerily, wondering who the hospital would sedate first.**

**"Oh, _do_ tell." He didn't know that Iruka could sound so sarcastic.**

**"She could have put your class under Ibiki-san or Anko-san."**

**Kakashi prided himself on being prepared for most things and anticipation of others actions; he expected Iruka to continue ranting and then would demand to see Tsunade.**

**He did not, however, expect Iruka to stare at him for a second before bursting into genuine laughter.**

**"Oh…that's a…_terrible_ thought!!" Iruka wheezed out between rolling swells of humour. "_Anko_? With _children_?" He returned to drowning in hilarity. With his head tossed back on the pillow, exposing his mocha-coloured throat and his hair sliding out of the messy braid Kakashi had put it in, he looked trusting and young; carefree, even. He didn't look like a battle-worn man who had barely escaped with all his limbs attached and the smile that danced across the scarred face was unrestrained and sincere.**

**His laughter was cut short when he started to curl up with it and he made a small gasping noise of pain as his movements aggravated his not-quite fully healed wounds. Kakashi carefully shoved him flat on the bed again.**

**Those deep cocoa-coloured eyes were looking at him again, and Kakashi felt a slight twinge of nervousness at quiet friendliness he saw there that. The small smile that graced the tan skin was also too easy to fall into and Kakashi wrestled with the urge to smile back. "Thank you." Iruka's voice was soft.**

**"For what?"**

**The dark eyes were slowly fluttering shut. "For putting things into perspective. For reminding me that things aren't as bad as they could be." Iruka stifled a yawn. "For putting up with me."**

**"You should get more rest," was the only thing Kakashi could think of to say. How was it possible that a mere chunin kept throwing him like that? It had to be those expressive liquid eyes. They drew you in and drowned you with the promise of sincerity and warmth. Coupled with that gentle smile, it was deadly. Kakashi purposely forced himself to remember all the times that he had turned in his mission reports late. He would not be drawn into that trap. It was his mission to make sure that Iruka did what he was supposed to, and that was it. No emotional involvement, just straightforward business.**

**That soft and warm smile was back again and Kakashi fought the pull of the promise it held. "Thank you." Iruka said again.**

**"Whatever were you doing on that mission?" Kakashi asked, but got no response. Iruka's chakra smoothed out again and Kakashi knew that he had more reading time now.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Iruka was too easy to touch. It was too simple to help the man sit up; it was too comfortable to pick him up and haul him places; it was too easy to help him with simple things like braiding his smooth hair. Even things that shouldn't have been effortless—such as helping Iruka get dressed or get to the bathroom—were done without thought and it wasn't until after that Kakashi realised how easy it had been.**

**It didn't help that Iruka was also so unpredictable. What made him howl in embarrassment and anger one day would have him howling with laughter the next. Kakashi could never be sure if he was going to get a chuckle, a blush, or an angry punch and on some sick twisted level, he realised that he purposely said things just to see what Iruka's response would be. Iruka even once completely threw him off by responding with a comment that was easily twice as dirty as the first one.**

**Between those things and Iruka's big doe eyes and friendly smiles, Kakashi knew he was serious danger of becoming emotionally vulnerable. Iruka was too easy to like, too easy to talk to. If Kakashi believed in the idea of being closer to people other than drinking buddies, he knew he would be friends with Iruka in a moment. Iruka was simply too much fun and so much more than Kakashi had originally thought.**

**So he fought it. Whenever possible, he tried to be cold and he tried to spend as much time as he could away from the white hospital room. He would _not_ fall in to the net Iruka was unknowingly and effortlessly trying to spin around him. He didn't want it. He didn't want the closeness and warmth that those glistening eyes promised. He'd fallen for a similar promise once and look it where it got him!**

**Sometimes, he thought Iruka knew what Kakashi was doing. He would apologise for being such a burden on Kakashi and suggest that Kakashi take some time away for himself. Or Iruka would give Kakashi an excuse to use when Kakashi got brusque if he wanted to use one, such as long days, his hatred for hospitals, or having to take time out of his busy life to look after an invalid. Kakashi tried to avoid using those explanations, as then he'd fall straight into Iruka's trap. Every now and then he would have a moment of weakness and he'd use one of them, but one when those sensitive brown eyes filled with sadness and hurt to a level that Kakashi couldn't bear and then Iruka would grin at him and glow and Kakashi knew he just got himself in deeper.**

**He had just recently fled Iruka's room because the man had smiled at him and he had fallen right into that smile. He berated himself harshly for the slip-up; how could he tell himself that he was going to keep Iruka at arm's length and then get pulled in that easily? What kind of ninja was he? Civilians need other people; ninjas did not.**

**He sat in the tree right below Iruka's window and stared blankly at his book. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't go to Tsunade and ask to be removed; first, Tsunade was probably still pissed at him and secondly, she'd want to know why. Explaining the need for space from Iruka was not only embarrassing, but it seemed so _stupid_. He had to get away because he was scared of becoming friends with a chunin? That sounded dumb, even to him.**

**There were voices in Iruka's room; he must have more company. The visitors came in steady streams; mission room workers, students, other teachers, and former students all came and filled the room with well-wishes, flowers, and clumsily drawn cards. Kakashi felt grateful for them, because they gave him a chance to escape.**

**He froze when he heard his name.**

**"…is supposed to be helping you recover. Is that true?"**

**The voice belonged to Kurenai. Kakashi decided he could justify listening in.**

**"Yes, he is." Iruka's voice, rich and calm.**

**"I'm sorry."**

**"Sorry? For what?" Iruka sounded genuinely surprised.**

**"Kakashi-san has a _terrible_ bedside manner. I'm sorry that you got stuck with him."**

**_I do not!_ Kakashi thought, indignantly.**

**"I haven't had too much problem with it." Iruka said mildly and Kakashi silently patted Iruka on the head.**

**"Really." Kakashi could picture Kurenai's eyebrow arching at this. "Well, maybe he likes you better than the rest of us or maybe he's just trying infuriate the Hokage."**

**"Speaking of which, what exactly did Kakashi-san do to anger her so much? I know he had to have really annoyed her for her to stick one of our highest-ranking ninjas on something as menial as making sure a teacher doesn't do anything that might impede the healing process."**

**"I'm not sure entirely, but I think it's because she thinks he doesn't take care of himself and uses his Sharingan too much…you know the routine. I guess he gave her some lip over that mission you had as well and we all know how well that always goes over."**

**"He questioned her on my mission?"**

**"Seems that he felt you shouldn't have been sent."**

**"Oh really." Oh, that was the Dangerous Iruka voice; the voice that usually was followed by an angry bellow. Kakashi felt grateful that he wasn't in the room right now.**

**"From what I've heard, he didn't think a chunin should have been sent with a team of special jounins and the likes. Seems that he thinks you're just a paper-pusher."**

**Kakashi frowned at the 'just'; first Tsunade telling him that Iruka's done harder missions quite a few times before and now Kurenai was implying the same thing. He wondered how hard it would be to break into the record room and pull Iruka's file.**

**There was a frustrated sigh and Kakashi could picture Iruka going to rub his scar, winching because he'd use the wrong arm again, and then scratching it with his good hand. "Him and everyone else." Iruka muttered bitterly. "Just because I teach instead of going on regular missions, I'm obviously sub par as a ninja."**

**"Not everyone thinks that," Kurenai said soothingly. "Kakashi just doesn't know better. If he actually took his nose out of those books for a minute, he wouldn't think that."**

** Iruka made a sad frustrated noise and Kakashi glared very hard at the page in front of him. He wasn't feeling guilty; the great copy ninja Hatake didn't feel guilt for anyone! Well, maybe for Obito or Rin or his Sensei or for failing his gennin team, but those were _givens_. He most certainly didn't feel guilty about making some chunin with a glowing friendly smile and big expressive eyes and a surprisingly perverted sense of humour feel inferior.**

**He didn't feel guilty, damn it!**

**"Kurenai-san, may I ask you a question?" Iruka asked after a moment of silence. She made an affirmative noise and he continued. "How well do you know Kakashi-san?"**

**Kakashi looked at the window sill above him. Iruka was curious about him?**

**He could almost hear Kurenai's shrug. "As well as anyone can, I guess. He doesn't let people get close to him."**

**"So when he's having mood swings, it's normal?"**

**"What do you mean?"**

**"Well, it's just…one moment he'll be teasing me and laughing and everything will be fine and the next, he's cold and short and doing everything he can to get away from me."**

**Fuck. Iruka _had_ noticed. Maybe he needed to work on his subtlety. That, or really get a giant Venus flytrap that really might eat his neighbour if he didn't leave to feed it.**

**He wondered where he could find one. The Forest of Death, maybe…?**

**"Ah."**

**He could name it Mortimer and the next time the Hokage gave him a shitty mission, he could threaten to feed Tonton to it. Or when Gai challenged him for some stupid competition again, he could tell him the challenge was who could imitate a fly the best next to Mortimer and he'd let Gai go first…**

**Kakashi visibly forced himself to leave those happy thoughts behind and turned his attention back to the conversation that Iruka was having.**

**"Asuma said that Kakashi does that occasionally," Kurenai was saying. "He's fine with people being acquaintances and drinking buddies, but that's it. He doesn't let people get closer than that. I'll bet he's trying to keep you at a distance, but…" there was a pause where she must have gestured or something, "you're hard not to like."**

**"Are you saying he doesn't have any friends?" Iruka's voice was a mix of disbelief, shock, and something that was similar to pity, but softer; Kakashi didn't know what to call it.**

"**Not any close ones that I know of, unless you count Gai." Kakashi silently gagged. The thought disturbed him deeply. Really, he had better tastes than that!**

**"I think we can safely count Gai-san out."**

**"I don't know, I think he's scared that he'll get close to someone and then he'll lose them again."**

**The illustrious Sharingan Kakashi did _NOT_ get scared, thank you _very_ much.**

**"He has lost a lot of people that he's cared about, hasn't he?" That note was back in Iruka's voice—that tone that was softer and warmer than pity, but still unidentifiable—and it was stronger now. "I had forgotten about that."**

**Kakashi decided that he needed to get out of there, away from Iruka's warm voice and concern that Kakashi didn't want or deserve.**

**Besides, Mr Ukki was starting to look a little lonely.**


	4. Chapter 4

Perhaps I have set my expectations too low, but the level of positive response has me completely bowled over. I can't get over it and I just want to say 'THANK YOU' a million times to all of you who have surprised and completely flattered my ego. Thank you so much!**  
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**The sudden relief that flooded Iruka's body and eyes was so obvious that you had to be dead not to notice it. "Kakashi-san!"**

**"Yo." Kakashi gave Iruka a small wave.**

**Iruka shoved the small pile of paper away sharply. "Where have you been? I was worried about you!"**

**That was _not_ guilt he felt stabbing him. "I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei. I didn't mean to worry you. I was just looking for Mortimer."**

**Iruka blinked. "What?"**

**"Mr Ukki has been mopey recently, so I had to find Mortimer." Before Iruka could completely gather his wits, Kakashi stealthily changed the subject. "Lovely weather we're having right now, isn't it?"**

**Yes, a prime example of why he was Konoha's best.**

**Iruka—tricky and annoying bastard that he was—would not be swayed. "You completely disappear for over a _day_ and then you come in with some story about a Mortimer and a Mr Ukki?"**

**"I hear we're supposed to get some rain in the next few days. You might want to get out and enjoy these lovely days while you can."**

**"Kakashi-san…" Iruka looked both exasperated and entertained. "Would you be so gracious as to tell me why you felt the need to not let anyone know where you were?"**

**"Of course, we could use the rain. It has been a bit dry recently."**

**"It was worth a try." Iruka's voice sounded annoyed, but his eyes held affectionate amusement. He reached for the papers he had pushed aside.**

**"'Dont lev yor kunai in the baftub'," Kakashi read the top page on the stack of papers, sitting on the window sill. "Corrections being made to every other word in the sentence. Who brings their weapons in the tub with them? Are all of them this bad?"**

**"What are you doing?" Iruka glared and it made Kakashi feel safe. Here was something he was familiar with; an annoyed and angry Iruka he could work with. As long as you stayed out of range and made sure Iruka didn't have anything to throw—Kakashi had learned this through careful information gathering sessions—one was fairly safe and could comfortably needle the chunin from a distance. Kakashi figured if he annoyed Iruka enough, the man would quit looking at him like _that_.**

**"Oh, here's a winner you haven't gotten to yet: 'Yor kuni culd sav yor lif and you ned to tak car of it'. The ideas are good, but the spelling is _atrocious_. Have you covered the concept of silent E yet?"**

**"Give those back." Iruka's eyes had darkened into something more than annoyance; it was too cool to angry, but it was definitely too hot to be simple amusement.**

**"Now Iruka-sensei, that's not polite. This one looks like it has a picture of dead opossum wearing a banana peel skirt with a raccoon wearing a fez doing a tap dance on it. And are those flecks around them supposed to be flies or noodles? Wasn't this supposed to be an essay? Or are the little monsters allowed to do interpretive art instead?"**

**Ah, insulting the children was clearly a button for Iruka. The terribly expressive face darkened and the strong jaw tightened. Kakashi could _see_ the smaller man's frame swell with indignant anger. "Those 'little monsters'," he said icily, "are going to be the ones covering your sorry ass when you're more prosthetics than human and can't jerk off any more. Give those back, _NOW_."**

**"You didn't say the magic word." Kakashi tilted his head and squinted at the mass of ink in front of him. "Maybe it isn't a dead opossum…it might be a cow in a ratty beehive wig humping a giant striped—"**

**There was a flare of chakra and Kakashi found himself blinking at air. Iruka glared at him heatedly before returning to his grading.**

**"How did you do that?"**

**Iruka glanced up, his face not as hard as it had been a few moments ago. "You spent the last few moments insulting my students and implying my teaching skills are sub par and you expect me to just forget that and tell you whatever you want to know?"**

**Kakashi gave Iruka his most winning and charming smile, one so charismatic that his mask would do nothing to stop the power of it. "Now Iruka-sensei, I never implied that. It takes great skill and patience to become a teacher of your level. Nobody here has anything but the greatest respect for what you do with those kneecap gnawers."**

**Iruka's eyes narrowed, but they didn't hide the flicker of laughter that appeared at what he called the students. "Your flattery is empty and false, Hatake-san. It will get you nowhere."**

**"I speak nothing but the truth, Umino-san." Kakashi responded glibly. He turned the charisma he was emanating up a notch. He _really_ wanted to know what Iruka had done that enabled him to get his papers back like that and if that meant that he had to charm the man into doing so, then so be it.**

**Iruka was still glaring at him, but the lines around his eyes and jaw were soft now. "I don't believe you. Anyway, what would a simple chunin know that the great Copy Ninja wouldn't?"**

**"No mere chunin would have that many A-ranked missions." Iruka started slightly, his doe eyes widening. "I think it would be safe to say that a chunin could offer quite a bit to Sharingan Kakashi, and to any jounin."**

**Iruka looked at him speculatively, weighing the honesty and sincerity of his words. He finally returned to the bleeding of his pen on the paper. "It's not that useful."**

**Kakashi raised his eyebrow. He couldn't read Iruka's face because the man was keeping his head down and his eyes trained to the papers in front of him. "What did you do?"**

**"It's only effective if you can see what you want to move and the range is short—I can barely make it work across a classroom."**

**"But what did you _do_?"**

**Iruka slowly brought his wounded arm up and he scratched his scar, wincing a little bit. Kakashi made a mental note to ask about that once he had gotten a full answer out of the chunin.**

**"It's…a variation on the body replacement jutsu." Iruka finally said, not looking up from his grading. "I developed it so I could stop kunais and shrunkens that were flying astray and I wouldn't be able to stop them otherwise. I've also found it to be useful when my students have gotten a hold of things they shouldn't have."**

**"You created a new jutsu?" That took skill and patience and a very careful control of one's chakra.**

**Iruka glanced up sharply and Kakashi could see the hard defensive response leaping to the chunin's lips. For whatever reason, the man swallowed it and gazed at Kakashi quietly, his liquid chocolate eyes scanning for something. "I didn't create a new one; I just…edited an old one to suit my purposes." He said finally.**

**Really, sometimes Kakashi thought the man was too modest for his own good. Even 'editing' a jutsu—as the teacher called it—was hard. There were times Kakashi would even say that was harder than making up a new one entirely. "It doesn't make it any less impressive. How does it work?"**

**Iruka ducked his head, but not before Kakashi saw the dusky red spread across the scarred nose. "The body replacement jutsu works by replacing our bodies with something else, such as a log or a plant. Now, the first variation is to replace an object with something different—"**

**"You have more than one variation?" Kakashi's eyebrow shot up.**

**"It's not that hard, really." He could see the younger man warm up to the subject, moving into a realm of familiarity. Subconsciously, Iruka's back straightened and his voice took on a lecturing tone. "Granted, it's harder to do than the original jutsu, but its uses in a classroom setting are limited. Now, with the variation that you just witnessed, it's using a similar philosophy. The difference is instead of replacing your body with something else, you are replacing the object with the air around your hand. Now, how you do—Kakashi-san," Iruka interrupted himself sharply, giving Kakashi a look that made him feel like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Put that eye away. You don't need to waste your chakra on this."**

**"I won't be—"**

**"Do you want to learn this or not?"**

**Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the threat. He had seen Iruka enter teacher mode before, but never to this extent. It was amusing, and yet he felt a knee-jerk response to do whatever the man told him to do. Perhaps he should recommend that Ibiki use Iruka for some interrogations; the combination of Iruka's authoritarian teacherisms and his sweet smiles and his big eyes would probably having even the toughest ninja spilling his life story.**

**And to think that he used to think this man was nothing more than a paper-pushing, low-level push-over! **

**Curious enough at the jutsu, he pulled his hitai-ate down mostly over his Sharingan eye. He could have argued with Iruka, but when he had uncovered his Sharingan eye, he could see the lines of exhaustion that were starting to wrap themselves around Iruka's muscular frame. Once he learned what he wanted to know, he was going to make the chunin rest.**

**Besides, he didn't have to cover his eye _entirely_…**

**"I'm not stupid, Hatake-san. Cover that eye up completely or I'm going to make you write 'I can use the eye I was born with and not waste my chakra' five hundred times with your toes and I'll make sure that Gai-san knows about it so you'll _have_ to do it."**

**Note to self: Iruka fights _dirty_, Kakashi thought, even though he chuckled a little and made a show of pulling his hitai-ate to completely over his eye. "Now _Sensei_"—he made sure that he leered a bit at the other—"what was it that you wanted to teach me?"**

**"Think with your other head." Iruka snapped crossly, face a delightful pink. "You know, the one you were dropped on at birth? The safest place on your body to hit you?"**

**"You wound me." Kakashi sighed dramatically, mimicking the hand seals carefully. "So this only works if you can see the object?"**

**"Try for the chart." Iruka gestured to the end of his bed. "For me, yes. I haven't figured out how to make it work with things that I can't see but know are there."**

**Kakashi grinned and held out the chart. He was rewarded by one of Iruka's genuine smiles and he saw a brief flash of pride there. He didn't know if it was pride at being able to teach the jounin something or it if was pride at a student learning something new, but knowing Iruka, it would be the latter.**

**"Thank you, Iruka-sensei."**

**Iruka ducked his head, returning to his grading. "It was nothing."**

**Kakashi watched him for a moment. "You look tired."**

**Iruka briefly looked up. "Therapy was…strenuous today."**

**"You should rest."**

**"I'm more sore than tired."**

**Kakashi decided that he thought Iruka was lying. "Ah, well, if that's it, I shouldn't be bothering you, should it?" He arched his eyebrow cheerfully at Iruka and tucked the red pen Iruka had been using into his vest and stuck the essays into his pouch. Iruka let out a squawk a moment after the fact. Feeling immensely pleased with himself, Kakashi waved and teleported away, Iruka's angry howl of "Kakashi-san, bring those back NOW—!" ringing in his ears.**

**Really, Iruka should have known better than to teach him that jutsu.**


	5. Chapter 5

I'm sure that you're all tired of hearing this, but thank you for reviewing! I have never gotten so many, and it throws me for a loop. Perhaps my expectations of my writing are lower than they should be, but whatever the reason, I cannot thank you all enough for telling me that you all enjoy it.**  
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**"Thank you."**

**Kakashi blinked, his hand half-way through its wave. "For what?" The last thing he remembered doing to Iruka was relocating the essay the teacher had been grading (it was only stealing if you didn't have the consent of the other person and he figured that Iruka's teaching him that variation on the body replacement jutsu was his way of saying 'go ahead, Kakashi-san, stop me from working my pert little chunin butt off!') and Iruka _couldn't_ have already heard about what he done to them (he didn't grade them; he wrote comments). And even if he did, Iruka wasn't the sort who would take kindly to someone disturbing his system.**

**"For sending Shizune." Iruka smiled at him like _that_ again.**

**"What are you talking about?"**

**"You don't have to pretend; she told me that you recommend coming to see me. The massage worked wonders for me. Thank you."**

**Kakashi made sure he arched his visible eyebrow. "You should be thanking her, not me. I didn't have anything to do with it. Anyway, the woman's had a crush on you since she first saw you. I think she was just trying to cover for the fact she was going to get a chance to feel you up."**

**The warmth hadn't left those coffee-coloured eyes; in fact, they got warmer. "Oh, that's right. She ran into a dog wearing a hitai-ate while wandering the road of life and it told her that I was sore from the day's physical therapy and it just happened to mention that a massage would do me good."**

**Kakashi pulled his Icha Icha out and shrugged. "The road of life has its mysteries. Personally, I think she was just looking for a chance to ogle your butt and smear oils on you. Did she at least give a half-decent one?"**

**"One of the best I've received. She wants to talk to Tsunade-sama about getting one worked into my therapy sessions." Iruka tilted his head, causing the few strands of his dark chestnut hair to trail across his cheek. "Who would you recommend?"**

**Kakashi glanced up. "For massages? What's wrong with Shizune-san?"**

**"I can't ask her to give up so much time out of her day."**

**Kakashi grinned lecherously. "She'd find space in her schedule to give you the time of day."**

**Iruka threw his pudding at him. "Can't you think about _anything_ else?" He mock growled before turning serious again. "I don't wish to have her get her hopes up."**

**Kakashi paused in his reading. "She'd make a very good girlfriend."**

**"Yes, she would. But I'm not interested in her in that way." Iruka's face seemed a little sad.**

**"Now Iruka-sensei, you should snatch her up. She's already proven that she's crazy enough to want to date you."**

**It was the spoon that flew at his head this time. "She doesn't make me laugh enough. And…I guess she's just not my type."**

**Kakashi 'hm'd a response and the two sat in silence for a moment.**

**"Gai."**

**He could feel those fathomless eyes turn their attention on him. "What?"**

**"You wanted to know who gave good massages. Gai's ridiculously good at them—probably one of the best in the village—and that mini-Gai is probably pretty good as well."**

**Iruka looked thoughtful. "I never would have thought of them, but it makes sense, doesn't it? With all the taijutsu that they do, they would need something help their muscles." He frowned for a moment. "How did you find out about that?"**

**"Mmm, Gai challenged me. Ask Asuma or Raidou or even Ibiki-san about them; they all go to Gai and I know Anko-san will rave for hours about it. If you can tune out the beginning and ending speeches, they're amazing, I hear."**

**Kakashi could feel Iruka weighing him with his eyes. "I'll ask about him; thank you."**

**He shrugged carelessly. "If you want to take away Shizune's chances at groping you, be my guest."**

**"It's called a massage."**

**"If it makes you happy to call it that, go right on ahead."**

**Iruka threw his tray at him.**

xXxXxXxXxXx

**Kakashi looked at the Memorial Stone. He needed to think.**

**He blamed that chunin. He didn't want to rethink the choices he made; he wanted to go forwards as if he had learned his lesson, but that damn chunin with his flashing eyes and his hopeful smiles was making Kakashi think that perhaps he hadn't done the right thing, after all.**

**He let his fingers trace over the three names and he found himself picturing a fourth name before he shook his head free of that one. Was it worth it? Could he expose himself again like that? He knew that the number of names he visited would only grow over time; could he risk himself like that again? Even people who should be safe from anything worse than a small wound had proved recently that they were just as much at risk to be put on the Stone as he was.**

**He scowled at himself. He shouldn't be second-guessing his decisions like this; second-guesses lead to death in the field. One needed to stick to their choices, and move on from there.**

**Unless, of course, one discovered something new and had to change their course because of that…**

**Damn that man!**

**Why did he have to be so easy to talk to? Why did he have to continually surprise Kakashi? Why couldn't he just be boring and the way Kakashi had thought he was? Why was he so much fun?**

**Kakashi touched his hitai-ate. Somehow, Iruka had written 'LAZY' in big bold letters across the leaf insignia without Kakashi knowing. It matched the 'Thinks with the wrong head' blazoned across the back of his flak jacket (Gai had loudly proclaimed how Hip and Modern it was of Kakashi to so Proudly identify his short-comings Boldly and Freely and had made it a challenge to identify himself in a similar manner; Kakashi had yet to see something saying the self-proclaimed Prideful Beast with anything that said 'loud and annoying'). He was still trying to figure out how the chunin had done it without Kakashi's knowledge.**

**For some reason, the prank didn't bother him. It should, because it meant that his senses had slipped so much a mere chunin—no, not a mere chunin. A good chunin, one who knew his limits and his skills and _exactly_ how to use them to distract someone so he could employ them.**

**Kakashi's battle-worn fingers returned to the name he knew the best. Could he risk it again? Could he handle it when—not if—he had to deal with another loss and another name in stone? Could he risk it with others? Others who had wanted him to risk his emotional safety for years…could he finally let them in?**

**Could he afford not to?**

**Could he move past causal acquaintances? It had been years…**

**He slowly stood up. Perhaps he owed it to the names on the stone. They wouldn't have liked seeing him as he was; their names were on the stone so he could go on and reconnect.**

**Perhaps it was time. He owed them at least that much. **


	6. Chapter 6

I'm sorry that this so late! FFnet is throwing some sort of hissy fit and not allowing me to update the chapter. I spent three hours last night trying to upload it and a huge part of today. So it wasn't that I forgot about you all--it's just that things weren't working the way they should be.

I also fixed the second half of chapter five--it's now much more readable. I'm sorry that I didn't catch that before.

Anyhow, here's the new chapter! I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it (I got to use the word 'craven'; how awesome is that?). Enjoy!

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**"I'm going to marry you." Iruka muttered into his pillow, looking completely boneless. "Gonna marry you an' never move 'gain..."**

**"I think you're going to have to fight half the village for that." Kakashi didn't look up from his orange book.**

**"Many people pledge their Undying Love for me after one of my Youth Reviving Massages!" Gai flashed a bright shiny smile before returning to Iruka's arm. "The Lovely and Youthful Anko-san regularly offers to make me a Proud Father!"**

**"She can't love you like I can." Iruka moaned. "'Sides, I'm better wit' kids…oh, sweet _gods_." He made a half-hearted flop as if he wanted to push himself further into Gai's hands, but didn't have the muscles to do so. "'Ve died, haven't I? Died an' moved on to a better place…"**

**Kakashi looked around the room. "If this is a better place, it needs a new interior decorator."**

**"Doesn't have to pretty, just has to have…" Iruka's voice trailed off into a deep groan while Gai worked on his palms.**

**Gai stepped back and wiped off his huge hands. "There. The Youth shall be restored to your Strong Limbs!" He did his 'good guy' pose. "Soon, you shall be back to Moulding and Training the Energetic Youth of our Fair Village again! The Springtime of your Youth is still upon you! Your Determination and Hard Work will serve as an Inspiring Model for the rest of us! When my Beloved Students falter, I shall remind them of our Noble and Brave Iruka-san's Valiant Struggles and they will be Invigorated!"**

**Gai babbled on and on and _on_ about Youth and Strength and Kakashi thought he heard something about Iruka's determination being Hip and Modern, but since he had long since tuned out Gai in favour of Yuki and Neko's adventures in the seedy downtown motel, he couldn't be sure. As far as he was concerned, if you've heard one Gai speech, you've heard them all. He was pretty sure Gai had just memorised one and swapped out names and topics and every now and then changed his adjectives.**

**"Kakashi-san," Iruka's voice was weighty and slightly slurred with relaxation. "Could you please help me get back to my bed? I don't think I can move."**

**Iruka felt heavier than normal, and Kakashi pegged it at Iruka wasn't doing anything to help the copy ninja carry him. Kakashi knew Iruka was close to his weight, but this was the first time he believed it.**

**Iruka's head fell on Kakashi's shoulder, the short braid bouncing slightly. "Butter muscles." He sighed contentedly into the flak jacket, shifting his weight slightly.**

**Was Iruka…trying to _snuggle_ with him?**

**Gai watched them curiously, strangely silent. Kakashi decided he'd worry about the dangers of a quiet Gai after he got rid of Iruka; it seemed when the chunin got relaxed, he got cuddly. He kept _nuzzling_ Kakashi's shoulder sleepily while trying weakly to nestle himself deeper in Kakashi's arms.**

**Kakashi carefully pushed open the door to Iruka's room with his toe and manoeuvred the very relaxed and _very_ cosy chunin into it.**

**Iruka's smile was decidedly fuzzy by the time Kakashi got him into bed, the paleness of the sheets and sleeping shorts he wore emphasising the warm caramel colour of his skin. "Thank you." He mumbled. His drowsy brown eyes traced the word that still adored the jounin's hitai-ate with amusement. "Didn't have to leave it there."**

**Kakashi shrugged. "I felt that scrubbing one piece of clothing was enough for one night." That had been some pretty impressive ink that Iruka had used. "Besides, people can't call me it if I'm already claiming it first."**

**Iruka made a happy and dreamy affirmative noise. "G'night, Kakashi."**

**Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the lack of a suffix. "Good night, Iruka-sensei."**

**"Jus'…'Iruka's'…fine…" Iruka's voice faded as he began to lose the battle to sleep.**

**Feeling odd, Kakashi pulled the door shut and felt his mood take a turn for the worse when he saw that Gai was waiting for him outside, a serious but happy expression on his face.**

**"My Eternal Rival, I must congratulate you on finding such Joy and Happiness." Gai said earnestly. "I am glad that you have found someone whom to share the Springtime of your Youth with, especially with someone whose Youth is as Vibrant and—"**

**"Gai, what are you talking about?" Kakashi asked tiredly, not feeling up to trying to pick out keywords from flowery adjectives.**

**"I am telling you that I believe you have made a Brave Choice and I support your Gallant and Romantic Courage. There are many Cowardly and Craven people who will not approve of such a Bold Decision, but I am not one! Love is a Beautiful and Powerful emotion and it will come to Loyal and Noble beings such as ourselves while we are in the Springtime of our Youth, and you are being Heroic enough to go forwards, even though you know you run the risk of being Unfairly Persecuted by people who do not understand the Strength of Youthful Love such as—"**

**"I'm not dating Iruka-sensei." Kakashi said, wondering first, what drugs Gai was on, and second, where he could find a hard surface to beat his head in with.**

**…Though it was very…nice…of Gai to make it clear that he supported Kakashi, even if said support came from erroneous logic.**

**Gai had the good graces to look properly abashed and distressed. "I have made such an Embarrassing and Upsetting Assumption about you! I just saw how Tenderly and Nobly you carried our Loyal Teacher and how Sweetly he looked upon you—"**

**"Gai."**

**"—And I have made you so Uncomfortable—"**

**"Gai."**

**"—I am Not Worthy of being your Rival! For causing your such Unnecessary Embarrassment, I shall perform—"**

**"Gai."**

**"— Five hundred—"**

**"_Gai_. It's okay. Really."**

**"I do Not Deserve to have such a Modern and Forgiving Rival!" Gai bawled and Kakashi cringed. At least this time Gai didn't try to hug him.**

**He snagged a few tissues as they left the hospital and shoved them ungraciously at Gai. If Gai was going to follow him, the man had better stop those manly tears or whatever the hell he called them. He didn't really feel like dealing with them right now.**

**Gai wailed something about how Noble and Thoughtful Kakashi was before blowing his nose noisily and mopping up his streaming eyes.**

**"Are you done yet?" The Copy Ninja asked irritably.**

**"Such a Modern and Hip Response! But I would not expect anything but that from you, my Eternal Rival!" Gai gushed before he got a very serious expression on his face. Kakashi braced himself. "Our Mutual Friend, the Sturdy and Steadfast Iruka, was looking at you with Eyes of Romance, not the Eyes of Friendship."**

**He rubbed his nose tiredly. "Really, Gai—"**

**"No, my Eternal Rival, let me finish." Gai pursed his lips for a moment. "You have told me that you are not involved with the Dependable Iruka-san and you have not told me whether you would want to be or not"—he head up a large calloused hand to stop Kakashi before he got much further than opening his mouth—"but he will probably make Tender Advances soon. If you are not interested in spending the Springtime of your Youth with him, you might wish to start thinking of a Gentle and Kind Way of breaking such Traumatic News to him. You are both Good Ninjas and Gallant Men; neither of you deserves to be hurt nor embarrassed unnecessarily."**

**Kakashi blinked. The advice was actually sound—for once—and Gai was giving him space—for _once_. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."**

**The two walked in silence for a moment. Kakashi firmly pushed the thoughts that surrounded a certain teacher to the back of his mind to examine at a later time when he didn't have the 'Noble Beast' walking next to him. Instead, he wrestled with his promise to the three names. Obnoxious as Gai was, he probably made a very good friend—loyal to a fault and willing to let you know exactly what he thought.**

**Heck, Gai probably already thought he was Kakashi's friend. It couldn't hurt to get something better out of it than just loud proclamations and random challenges…**

**"Wanna go get a drink?"**

**Gai glanced over. "Ah, a challenge! If I cannot drink more sake than you, I shall—"**

**"No Gai," Kakashi said patiently, as if he was talking to a very stupid, very senseless, and very dense child. "Not a competition; just a few drinks before we go home."**

**Gai tilted his head and studied him for a moment. Then he smiled warmly. "I would love to. We shall go forwards, and celebrate our Youth! The village will see us and have its Fair Spirits lifted to know that such Camaraderie exists with its ninjas! Our Foul Enemies will know that they will Fail in the face of such Strength!"**

**Kakashi followed while Gai carried on and made a general spectacle of himself. Perhaps he had wrong in thinking that this would be hard.**


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you for all the people who reviewed! It was my first time attempting someone like Gai and it flatters me to know you all thought I did so well.

I am not sure what I think about this chapter, so feedback and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!**  
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** Kakashi knew something was up when Kurenai discreetly made the hand signs to dispel a jutsu for the fifth time and Asuma burned a second hole into his sheets.**

** He decided not to mention the matter and calmly pointed out the hospital's policy on smoking to Asuma—as in it wasn't allowed.**

** Asuma seemed to take things in stride slightly better than Kurenai. He shrugged. "Well, they haven't given me a good enough reason to quit and anyhow, what are they going to do about it? They just put me together again; they're not going to take me apart so soon."**

** Kakashi hm'd. "They could give you Xin as a nurse."**

** Asuma shuddered. "Ugh, no! Thank gods I'm still too wounded for that to be a worry."**

** "What brings down to this part of the hospital?" Kurenai asked, almost making it seem like she was making small talk.**

** He shrugged in an offhanded manner. "I was walking down the street after helping some Girl Scouts kick some Boy Scouts' butts and ran into a flying green platypus that said I should mosey over here." He spread his hands slightly. "So here I am. How are you feeling?"**

** "Less like shit." Asuma said, relaxed and lazy. "I only sort of feel like shit on most days and more and more like crap. They say I should get passed the crap stages pretty fast, but we'll see what will happen when we get that far. But enough about me. How have you been?" **

** "Mm, can't complain too much. The Hokage won't let me do anything of real interest, but what's new about that?"**

** "Kurenai tells me that you've been helping Iruka-san recover." **

** "All I do is make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid and hurt himself again."**

** "I owe that man my life." Asuma lit another cigarette thoughtfully. "Without him, I wouldn't be here."**

**"So I hear." Hmm…this could turn into a situation where he could kill two birds with one stone. Iruka hadn't taken up the bait on giving him information on what had happened, but perhaps he could get some more details from Asuma. **

** "He dragged both Hana-san and me across the entire damn forest and he was in no shape to do so, either." Asuma blew out a puff of smoke and Kurenai excused herself. "He's a good fighter. Doesn't know anything special, but I've never seen anyone so quick with the simplest stuff. And he's resourceful. He rigged up a trap that probably saved our asses with just a few exploding tags, mouthwash, and a shrunken." **

** "Mouthwash?" **

** "Yup. Damnedest thing I've ever seen. I guess it's roll-over from his prankster days; never thought I'd be grateful for anything like that." **

** "What, you didn't appreciate the lace?" **

** Asuma snorted and glared at Kakashi but it held no bite. "It itched. A lot. Anyhow, explaining _that_ to Kurenai was an adventure. You got off easy with the ink prank." **

** "He does a good job of luring people into a false sense of security." Kakashi noted mildly. **

** "Until you turn your report in late." Asuma grinned before sobering. "You haven't seen him serious in a fight, have you? For a chunin, it's pretty terrifying. And he can switch from the least dangerous person to a deadly ninja in least then a heartbeat. He's good about even luring the enemies in to a false sense of security; that's probably his strongest gift right there." He took a drag on his cigarette. "Stubborn little fuck, as well. He wouldn't leave Hana or me behind, despite what we said. Kept telling us that it was his way of the ninja." He shook his head. "When that man wants something to happen, nothing's going to stop him from making it so."**

** "I know how that goes." Kakashi remembered the first day Iruka had decided that he was going to walk to his therapy.**

** "With some training and some motivation, he'd make a jounin even scarier than you in the morning." Asuma mused thoughtfully, the humour dancing as an undercurrent. **

** "Worse than hung-over green spandex?" **

** The mirth glinted in Asuma's eyes though his mouth stayed serious. "Quite possibly." **

** "Then I guess we're lucky he wants to use his gifts to terrorise those midgets and not us." **

** "I'll drink to that…if I had something to drink." Asuma gave Kakashi a sly sidelong glance. **

** "Not this time." Asuma heaved a sigh. "I'll bring some next time and we can try and see how drunk we can get before Kurenai or the nurses put a stop to it."**

** Asuma was almost unsuccessful in hiding the flicker of surprise, but he recovered well. "If it's really good stuff, we could get Kurenai in on it, but it'd have to be the _really_ good stuff." **

** "We could tell Gai that Raidou said he didn't think Gai could properly guard a door."**

** "It'd be more believable if we said it was Genma." **

** "We could tell that Inuzuka brat on Kurenai-san's team that she's off to see another man." **

** Asuma roared, coughed, winced, and then laughed until he was wiping tears off of his battered face with bandaged hands. "She'd _kill_ us for doing that." He wheezed out few moments later. "Absolutely _massacre_ us."**

** A disapproving nurse bustled in and shooed Kakashi out, claiming that it was time for Asuma to have a check-up. He tapped the side of his nose as he slid out the window. Asuma grinned and copied the gesture.**

** He didn't feel quite like going and seeing Iruka's too warm smile yet, but he decided he could at least make sure the teacher was alright. He hopped from branch to branch until he reached the one that was below Iruka's hospital window. Keeping his charka levels low, he listened for a moment. **

** "…if they try that again, make them run laps." Iruka's warm rich voice slithered out the slightly opened window. "Twenty tends to tire them out too much, but somewhere between ten and fifteen will tire them out enough that they'll behave. Of course, if you want to shake things up and keep the kids from falling into a routine, making them sit silently and hold hands with each other is very effective. If they whine or squish their partner's fingers, add ten minutes on. Tell them it's training in stealth and learning how to work with all sorts of people."**

** Kakashi settled down on the branch. It sounded like Shikamaru was back and Iruka was walking him through the lesson plan. He loved listening in. Iruka was thorough and not only wrote up a lesson, he could point to places students would have troubles (and which ones they were), points where students would try to sneak out (and who they were), and what punishments should be allotted for any offence—as well as a few extra to have on hand, just in case. He even had justifications for every single punishment and in some cases, two—one for the wannabe ninjas and one for the irate parents that would come in and demand to know why their precious little armed terrors were in detention doing said punishment.**

** And he had hard lessons and practice sessions. Listening to Iruka made Kakashi wish he had known the man better back when he had a gennin team. He could have used so many of those ideas to tortur—train those brats. He had decided to commit them to memory on the off-shoot chance that the Hokage would decide to force another group of wannabes on him.**

** Shikamaru grumbled about something and Iruka laughed, a happy, full sound. "No, but you can pick a particular troublemaker to be your example for rope escaping techniques and then 'conveniently' spend the rest of the time helping others and 'forget' to untie them." **

** Hmm…that could be fun. And it'd serve the little shits right, too. **

** "Good luck!" He heard Iruka's call and Shikamaru's lazy muttering of 'so troublesome.' He'd wait a bit, then pop into Iruka's room and settle in the window to read the afternoon away (Shikamaru always left a stack of things for Iruka to grade)—**

** "Now Kurenai-san, what's it you wanted to talk about?" **

** —Or he could sit out here a bit longer. He didn't want to deal with Kurenai _and_ Iruka, particularly when she was acting weirder than normal. **

** "So, guess who's downstairs visiting with Asuma."**

** "I don't know…Ino-chan?" Iruka sounded more patient than curious. **

** "No. It was your baby-sitter, Kakashi-san." Kurenai said. **

** "He's not my baby-sitter." The response sounded automatic. "And what's wrong with that? I think it's very nice of Kakashi." **

** "No, you don't get it. Remember how he doesn't let people get close? Well, that includes visiting people at the hospital. He _never_ comes to the hospital unless he's in it!" Her voice lowered slightly and Kakashi could imagine her leaning in. "I hear he even went for drinks with Gai. Not a competition, but real drinks." **

** That seemed to get Iruka's attention. "With _Gai-san_? Are we talking about the same person?"**

** "Hard to believe, I know." He thought he heard a chair squeak; he guessed that she was leaning back a little bit. He flipped the page on his book. He'd forgotten what a gossip mongrel Kurenai was. **

** "I'm glad he's finally getting out with people." He glanced up at the window in surprise. What the hell was Iruka talking about? "I was getting worried about him, never getting out with others, but I'm glad that he is." He could hear the soft smile in the chunin's voice. **

** There was silence for a moment, and then Kurenai let out something that might have been a giggle if she was the giggling type.**

** "Kurenai-san…" Iruka sounded exasperated. "Stop that now. There's nothing to be tittering about." **

** "Am I embarrassing you?" She said, sounding slightly gleeful. "I think it's cute." **

** Iruka must have made a face because she outright laughed this time. "Does Iruka-kun object to be called cute?" **

** "We're not ten any more." Iruka sounded disgruntled. "I didn't laugh at you when I found about Asuma-san; I think I warrant the same respect." **

** Kakashi decided that it was time to bust up Iruka and Kurenai's little gossip fest. His butt was telling him there were nicer places to be sitting. Besides, it was starting to rain. **

** Both occupants in the room started slightly when he ducked in the window. Kurenai had a smoother recovery than Iruka did. "Kakashi-san," she nodded a greeting in his direction. "Enjoy your visit with Asuma?"**

** "Well, we got interrupted by a group of scantily clad nurses with a nasty perchance to bite, but I think we got away with minimum scarring and smallest amount of mess possible." He made sure to leer a little. Kurenai glared hard at him and Iruka discreetly coughed into his hand, his ears wonderfully red. He pulled out his Icha Icha. "Don't mind me." **

** "Well, if that's the case, I'd best go check on him, shouldn't I?" She stood up smoothly, still giving Kakashi dirty looks. "I'll talk to you later, Iruka-sensi." **

** "It was nice seeing you." Iruka smiled, but it didn't seem as warm as the Kakashi remembered. Maybe it was a trick of the light. **

** There were a few moments of silence after she left, and then Iruka ventured forth. "The doctors say I'm well enough to go home in two days." **

** "That's good." Kakashi didn't look up. "Are you still going to have therapy and all that?"**

** "Yes, of course." Iruka nervously scratched his scar. Kakashi noted that his shoulder was healing nicely. "Ah, Kakashi…will you still be around? When I get out of the hospital, I mean. I don't know that I'll be able to do much on my own and…well, I don't want to be imposing on you but I was wondering—" **

** "Iruka-sensei—" **

** "Iruka." **

** "Fine, Iruka. You are my mission until you heal." He thought he saw Iruka's face fall slightly at the word 'mission'. "And until I have received orders that you are fit, then I will be 'around', as you put it." **

** Iruka looked slightly panicked. "I didn't mean it that way!" **

** Kakashi heaved a dramatic sigh. "Yes, you did." He said mournfully. "You were looking forwards to getting rid of me. I saw the countdown that you keep under your pillow to when you were free of Kakashi Hatake and now you're going to have to add days to it…" He sighed again theatrically. **

** Iruka's liquid eyes had softened. He picked up his pen and turned to his grading. "I'm glad." He said quietly, his cheeks a dusky and warm red. "I was worried that my 'countdown'—as you put it—was going to be cut short. I'm relieved to know that it isn't." **

** There was nothing Kakashi could say to that.**


	8. Chapter 8

Due to stress and this chapter's shortness, I'll be posting the next chapter either later tonight or early tomorrow. So, do not fear, this is not all that there will be this week!

* * *

**"Are you sure that you don't want to take a rickshaw or something?" The nurse hovered nervously. **

**"I'm sure." Iruka said firmly. "If I need help, I have Kakashi to help me." **

**"Well…if you insist…" **

**"Thank you very much." Iruka smiled that polite smile of his and then slowly limped out the door, leaning heavily on his crutch. Kakashi trailed after him, ever the picture of attentiveness with his nose buried firmly in one of his bright orange book.**

** He made sure to watch Iruka carefully from the corner of his eye. This would be the farthest and the most that Iruka had walked since he had come back to Konoha. No matter what the stubborn and engaging idiot might have said, it was going to be a hard, long walk.**

** He didn't offer to help Iruka as the man slowed down; the last thing he wanted to do was insult the man and bear the brunt of his wrath. He'd seen what Iruka's anger could do. And anger made the chunin inventive and cunning.**

** No, it was for the best if he didn't upset Iruka's pride. **

**Much to his surprise, Iruka didn't ask for help the entire journey. Kakashi wasn't sure if it was sheer willpower or what, but even though it took an ungodly amount of time, Iruka walked the whole distance himself. **

**He could see that it had tired the man out. His wounded leg dragged more than it had in the beginning and he leaned more on his crutch then he had when he had left. **

**But it was the stairs that did him in. **

**Iruka made it up the first two—a feat that probably would have tired him out if he hadn't just walked from the hospital with no help. Circumstances being what they were, those two steps completely exhausted him. Kakashi caught him as he began to slump down. **

**Iruka made no pretences and leaned on Kakashi gratefully. "I…I don't think I can do the rest." He let his head loll on Kakashi's shoulder, seemingly lacking the energy to hold his head up. **

**Before he really knew what he was doing, Kakashi had the crutch over one shoulder and he was carefully scooping up the recovering academy teacher. Iruka, for his part, simply curled up in Kakashi's arms. "Thank you." He breathed quietly. **

**By the time Kakashi had figured out which apartment was Iruka's and dug the keys out of the younger man's pocket, Iruka had fallen asleep and had buried his face into where Kakashi's neck would have been if the flak vest hadn't been there.**

** He grumbled as he wrestled the door open and got inside the small and Spartan apartment. He found the bedroom easily and gently put Iruka down, purposely ignoring the nearly-silent noises of sleepy protest made at the loss of warmth. He fought with Iruka's sandals and pulled the ponytail out before quickly braiding the sleek hair so it'd be easier to brush in the morning. He repositioned the chunin in the bed after stripping him down to his pants. **

**Then—because Kakashi was one of the best ninjas Konoha had to offer and a good ninja always knows their surroundings—he wandered around the apartment.**

** It wasn't tidy, but it wasn't messy, either. Practical—which didn't surprise Kakashi—but it lacked a lot of personal affects—which did. He had pictured Iruka surrounded by childish gifts and knickknacks, all from his students. He also imagined Iruka's apartment to be so tidy that dust thought twice before settling on anything and the refrigerator to be covered in Naruto's achievements. While Naruto's mark was definitely there (a few pictures, some bowls that were loudly garnished with ramen motifs and some screamingly orange pillows), it wasn't nearly as prominent as he had thought it would be.**

** Speaking of refrigerators… **

**Kakashi peeked inside and gagged. He decided that it was pretty safe to say that Iruka wouldn't mind him cleaning it out. The stuff had already sprouted some impressive green and blue fuzz and it was working its way towards evolving legs. **

**It was a long and harsh battle, but Kakashi proved to be the stronger force in the end and vanquished the stuff with the trash to the dumpster behind the building in eternal exile. Of course, one cannot be a proper victor unless there is someone to fawn over your mighty victory and since Iruka was still snoring softly in the bedroom, Kakashi went out and found himself some new subjects in the grocery store. Perhaps these ones would recognise that resistance was futile and would live out their lives peacefully. **

**Feeling better about things, Kakashi decided he had earned himself a well-deserved Icha Icha break. As he settled down to finally discover if Shang would win back the heart of the most gifted and sexy Amazon in the land, he concluded that this mission wasn't too terrible. He got a lot of time to read, he'd gotten Mortimer (who was still small, but since he was self-conscious about his size and seemed to be growing nicely, Kakashi was kind enough not to bring it up), he had a very decisive victory over the fuzzy things, and there was a chunin in the other room that was good at keeping him on his toes. Really, things could be worse.**


	9. Chapter 9

Work got done pretty quick, so here you all go!

And thank you for the reviews! That was really quick...

* * *

**Despite Kakashi's repeated telling Iruka that the food in the refrigerators came from eternally grateful pixies, happy that the reign of oppressive terror had ended, money kept reappearing in his wallet. No matter how many times he put it back in the crisper drawer, it seemed to keep walking right back into his wallet. **

**His brain told him that he would never win against Iruka, but his pride wouldn't let him give up. Iruka was either going to accept that the food came from pixies and thus didn't need to keep trying to pay the wrong person or he was going find money mixed in with his vegetables for the rest of his life. **

**He wondered how long it would take before Iruka snapped and smacked him upside the head and screamed at him to just _take_ the money. **

**He had other things to worry about right now, such as Iruka was tackling stairs again after one of his tri-weekly trips to the hospital for physical therapy. On days he didn't have therapy, he could make it up the stairs on his own, but he'd be tired for the rest of the day. Therapy days, on the other hand, he was lucky if he made it up ten stairs before his body refused to do any more, He kept pushing himself harder and harder—which drove his trainer nuts—and thus Kakashi had to step in, a lot.**

** Iruka would fight with him, insisting that he wasn't fragile and that he _needed_ to do this. He once even lead Kakashi on a merry little wild goose chase around the village a few times before his leg had given out on him and Kakashi had to haul his compact chunin ass back to bed (the stubborn idiot even had the gall to fall asleep on Kakashi's shoulder before he could scold the chunin). **

**Despite Iruka's determination to be a knucklehead for the most part, Kakashi didn't get too frustrated. He understood the need to push oneself forwards, to not be a burden. So despite the fact he was always asking if Iruka would rather be grading, he didn't put his foot down as much as he threatened to. **

**"Kakashi," Iruka's voice sounded tired and strained. "I…need your help." He finally said, a hint of shame in his voice. **

**"New record today," Kakashi said cheerfully, trying to distract Iruka from his dark and hopeless emotions. He tucked the crutch over his shoulder before scooping up the young man. "Fourteen steps! At this rate, you won't need my help soon!" **

**Iruka pushed himself slightly closer to Kakashi and curled his fingers in the front of Kakashi's vest tiredly. "I think you overestimate my progress." He let his head fall on Kakashi's shoulder, something Kakashi was starting to get used to. "My leg isn't healing nearly as nicely as my shoulder is." **

**"You did more damage to the leg than you did the shoulder." Kakashi carefully put Iruka down on his couch and waited for Iruka to let go of him. Those fatigued doe eyes were drawing him in again. **

**"I know," the teacher's voice seemed softer and more intimate than it had a moment before, "but I am seeing progress with my shoulder and I'm not really seeing any with my leg and hip." **

**When had Iruka's face gotten so close to his? "That's because you're impatient. You've made improvement; you're able to walk with it." He could almost taste Iruka's hot breath. **

**An emotion that reminded Kakashi of hunger was creeping into the liquid cocoa eyes. "Barely." **

**"The Hokage said that you nearly lost it." Kakashi wondered if this is what drowning felt like. "The fact that you're walking at all is say a lot about you, Sensei."**

** The expressive eyes stared deeply into his and then they flickered down. Iruka seemed to realise that he still was holding on to Kakashi's vest. With a warm blush, he pried his figures away. "Thank you for your help." **

**Kakashi straightened up, feeling slightly disoriented. Moments like that were starting to be more and more frequent. "It was nothing." Looking at the way Iruka was sitting, he asked "How sore are you?" **

**A faint smile flickered across the exhausted face. "Are you thinking that you need to find Gai-san?" **

**Kakashi shrugged slightly. "You're probably due for some sort of massage and your muscles would almost certainly love it." **

**Iruka made a sleepy affirmative noise. "Can we wait until after I eat something? I don't think I'd have the energy to chew after Gai-san has finished with me." **

**Kakashi nodded. "But you have to pay for dinner." **

**Iruka mock groaned. "How many dinners is it going to _take_ before I get a little something in return?" He tried to waggle his eyebrows suggestively, but the effect was ruined when he yawned widely. **

**"Oh, I don't know. How long will it take until you'll respect me the morning after?" **

**The small smile was back. "Depends on how well you perform." The half-lidded eyes slid shut. "But I'll always respect you—especially if you stick around for the morning after." **

**Kakashi chuckled. "I'm going to go find Gai and ask him to come over later this evening. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." **

**"Only because you asked me to." Iruka mumbled. "Only because you asked." **

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

**"What do you want now, Gai?" Kakashi asked irritably, wiping his hands on the dish towel. He only had three more dishes to do and then he could read his book. **

**"So Hip and Modern!" Gai bellowed. "I was talking to our Esteemed and Loyal Teacher and he told me that you said I won our Youthful Challenge!" **

**"You win lots of those, Gai. Is that why you had to interrupt me washing the dishes and Iruka's massage to tell me?"**

** "My Eternal Rival is so Modest and Noble! Giving me such credit! While the count is 45 to 46 and four ties, to act like I have won more than—" **

**"Gai, is there a point to this?" Kakashi asked, feeling his annoyance growing. It didn't help that Iruka was twisting slightly to watch them and it made the oils that Gai had been using catch the light. **

**It was common knowledge that shiny things were terribly distracting to jounins—many had theorised that it had to do with survival instincts and being able to spot enemy hitai-ates—and the muscles on Iruka's back and the scars that split them were glistening and making it hard to pay attention to Gai's ranting. **

**"So Direct! My Rival, as much that I am Flattered that you think so Highly of my Youthful Skills, I must remind you that we tied on the Massage Challenge." **

**"I never said we didn't." Kakashi really, really, _really_ wanted to get out of there and away from the sweet pull of Iruka's eyes. They were asking, tugging and drawing him forwards and if he didn't force himself to focus on Gai, he might obey them. "If that's all you have to say, the dishes aren't going to clean—" Kakashi stopped cold, recognising the maniac look that started to fill Gai's eyes. "The answer's NO, Gai." He said sharply. "I'm still cleaning up from dinner. Anyways,"—please let Gai be distracted by this, _please_!—"don't you always finish what you start?" **

**"My Eternal Rival, you have made a Valid and Suave Point! We shall have a rematch at a different point when be both can focus with Clarity on the Daunting Task in front of us! I will Prevail over you yet—" **

**"Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure you will. I'm going to finish up in the kitchen." Kakashi left, feeling those rich chocolate eyes boring into his back. He almost turned around and followed the call of them before he reminded himself that Gai was in there and itching for a challenge. Things were much safer with the dirty dishes. **

**He was deep into Fuma and Ryo's quest to find a way out of the library that they were locked in before Sourata (the guard who had a terrible crush on Fuma) found them when Gai burst in. "The Stalwart and Resolute Iruka-san requests with Love-filled Eyes—" **

**"Gai-san!" Iruka interjected tiredly from the bedroom, sounded embarrassed and completely wiped out. **

**"—That you come in and see him! His Youth and Exuberance—" **

**"Yes, thank you, Gai. The door is that way." Kakashi tucked his book back into his pocket and pointedly ignored Gai's hollering about what a Hip and Modern Response that was and how someday, he would have a response that was as Hip and Modern to that— **

**Kakashi shut the door on the rant. "I'll get rid of him so you can sleep." He promised the half-asleep chunin. **

**"Mmm." Iruka smiled slightly at him, face relaxing further as Kakashi came into the room. **

**"You wanted to talk to me?" Kakashi finally asked when Iruka just gazed at him, a small contented smile on his lips and his dark hair drifting around his tanned face. **

**"Why didn't you tell me that you had tied with Gai? We could have saved him the bother." **

**"You never asked. Anyhow, it's good for Gai to do something that doesn't require loud declarations every five seconds. It helps him learn how to be a normal human being."**

** The small smile got warmer before Iruka yawned widely. "Suppose so…" **

**The temptation didn't go away and Kakashi caved. He lightly pushed the glossy strands off of Iruka's face. "Get some sleep. If you're going to be around those little rugrats tomorrow, you'll need your strength." **

**"Come early…" Iruka mumbled. "I'll make breakfast. Whatever you want." His eyelashes fluttered as he tried to keep them up. "Want you to be here when wake up…" **

**"I'll see what I can do." He hadn't managed to free his hand from Iruka's hair yet. "Go to sleep." **

**"Be here?" **

**"I'll try." Kakashi whispered back, warm for no reason at all.**


	10. Chapter 10

I'm so excited--I just got recognised for a poem of mine! Second year for poetry and third for my creative writing. So I'm spreading the happiness. Enjoy a chapter early!

* * *

**"I think I could handle a class. Maybe not for weapon training, but I'm sure I could deal with them for all the other stuff. Do you think that Tsunade-sama will let me?" **

**"That's a question for her, not me." **

**"I want to do something again." Iruka said a few moments later. "I _need_ to do something of use again. There has to be something I can do. I'm sick of sitting around; I want to _do_ things!" **

**"We'll ask Tsunade-sama if you can go back to terrorising people tomorrow, if you want." Kakashi offered, balancing the bag of groceries that Iruka insisted they get after they had visited Iruka's class as he pushed open the door. Iruka glared at him, but his eyes laughed and the corner of his mouth kept twitching. **

**"I do not terrorise people!" He sniffed before turning serious. "I would like it if we could go visit the Hokage tomorrow." **

**"So we shall!" Kakashi said cheerfully, putting the mangos in the fruit drawer in the refrigerator. "And then you can go back to slapping everyone on the wrists with your ruler again." **

**"It's not your wrists that I'll be slapping if you can't be gentle with those apples." **

**"Promises, promise!" Kakashi grinned as he stood up and made the mistake of looking into Iruka's liquid and teasing eyes. **

**There was a knock at Iruka's door and Kakashi blinked. When had he gotten so close to Iruka? He was certain he hadn't moved… **

**Better think on it later and go see who was at the door. **

**He yanked his eyes away and started towards the door when he heard Iruka mutter "screw this" and then a sturdy tan hand that wasn't his fisted in the front of his vest and yanked him back in front of Iruka. "Wha—" **

**Iruka's mouth was hard and hungry. Kakashi froze and he felt the flicker of a something hot and wet through his mask, dancing on his lips. **

**And just as suddenly, the possessive and greedy lips were gone, leaving him reeling and Iruka was calling at the person at the door that he was coming. **

**Did Iruka…did he…did they…was that… **

**What the hell just happened?! **

**Vaguely, Kakashi realised that standing stone still and mentally tripping over the last few moments like that was dangerous, particularly since he wasn't really paying attention to anything around him. He also decided it was hazardous to let him be caught off guard like that… Briefly, he wondered if Iruka would pull down his mask next time… **

**_That_ woke him up. He shook his head sharply. There would be _NO_ 'next time'! This was a _mission_ and emotions weren't _allowed_ on missions! That lead to clouded thinking and poor judgement and mistakes and poor thinking and mistakes and…**

** … **

**"Kakashi?" **

**He was going to have to do something about those lethal chocolaty eyes. Iruka had come in and had effectively killed _that_ thought process. He made himself focus on something less distracting—say, like Iruka's scar. **

**Which was scrunching like it always did when Iruka smiles like _that_. **

**Okay, focusing on the scar equalled no good. He zoned in on the stove. If that wasn't safe, he was in deeper trouble then he had thought. "What?" **

**"That was Kotetsu-kun. The Hokage wishes to see you." **

**Kakashi was NOT LOOKING AWAY from the stove, so he was a little bit surprised when Iruka tucked his head under Kakashi's chin. Arms awkwardly held him close and Iruka nuzzled his throat slightly. Startled, he looked down and found his nose buried in clean-smelling hair. **

**"I'm told I know how to make a mean Okinawa soba," Iruka said, his voice warm and intimate and only a step above being a bedroom voice. "Would you like to come back after you see the Hokage and have dinner with me?" **

**_Mission, Hatake! Think mission! The answer's no and— _**

** And then Iruka's mouth gently brushed the hollow of Kakashi's throat, breath hot and lips hotter. If Kakashi had thought his nerve ending were alive before, it was nothing compared to what they were doing now. Iruka overwhelmed Kakashi in every sense of the word and he forced some distance between them, just so he could think. **

**"Kakashi?" He made the mistake of taking his eyes off of the stove and looking down into big eyes that shimmered with hurt.**

** "Couldn't think." **

**The words slipped out before Kakashi's brain could even fathom the question. **

**Not that it was going to be doing any processing of any sorts soon, because the smile that split Iruka's face was warm, amused, and filled with desire. **

**How was it possible for the man to sauce up to him so seductively with a cane and a bum leg? "Really. Imagine how hard it's going to be to think once I tell you what you do to me and what I want to do to you." **

**Who took Iruka and put a minx in his place? Since when was Iruka so seductive and… **

**… **

**_Damn_. **

**"I…I…" _Get yourself together!_****"IhavetogoseetheHokage!" **

**Iruka's laughter followed him as he teleported out.**

** xXxXxXxXxXx **

**"What took you so long?" Tsunade snapped irritably. **

**"Got waylaid by a hungry teacher." Kakashi muttered, trying very hard not to think about anything that related to a certain pony-tailed scarred teacher. He was grateful for his mask that covered his probably flaming cheeks. **

**She gave him a suspicious stare before tossing a scroll at him. "Konoha needs you." **

**Kakashi snapped to attention immediately. He didn't have open it to know what kind of mission it was. "I thought I wasn't receiving any of these until my current mission was over." **

**"You weren't supposed to. But this came up and I need it handled _now_. You're the best for this. But don't think that this is going to be a regular occurrence," she added crossly. "It's only for this once and then you're back to baby-sitting the chunin."**

** "I'm not baby-sitting." Kakashi grumbled, finally cracking open the scroll and scanning the contents. "How long do I have before I leave?" **

**"I want you gone in half an hour." **

**"Doesn't give me much time to find a temporary replacement for my current mission." **

**Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "I'll send Sakura or someone to check up on him while you're gone." Kakashi nodded slowly. **

**"If you want to make him happy, give him some hours in the Mission Room or in the classroom. That way, he's doing something and he'll be surrounded by people in case he tries to do something he shouldn't." **

**"I'll think about it. Now go away!" Kakashi nodded once and vanished. **

** xXxXxXxXxXx **

**"I didn't know you were sniffing around." Pakkun said as Kakashi paused to study the sun. **

**"I'm not." Kakashi said shortly. **

**"Oh really?" Pakkun gave him a sly sideways glance. "So you go to meals with candles and soft music all the time?" **

**"What are you talking about?" Kakashi dropped to the ground and scrutinised the underbrush carefully. **

**"That chunin not only smelled like you, he was terribly crushed to find out you weren't coming to eat with him the fancy meal that he had cooked. He was also disappointed that you didn't come yourself and tell him that you weren't going to make it." **

**"Gai was being hard to find." **

**Pakkun snorted. "You didn't want to deal with those puppy eyes looking like you kicked him." **

**"I didn't ask you for your inane chattering. All I wanted you to do was tell Iruka that I wasn't going to be around for a while—"**

** "Bailing on him—" **

**"—Because I got summoned to do a mission and that I was asking Gai to watch over him." **

**"Yeah, sure." Pakkun paused for a moment. "I recommend you keep this one; he knows how to cook." **

**Kakashi rolled his eyes. "I'm not sniffing around." **

**"You smell like him, too."**

** "Shut up."**


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you for all the support! It's been a busy few days, but we're back to normal on the update schedule. I'll probably keep it this way the rest of the story, so just be forwarned now.

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**Kakashi was bone-tired, bloody, and probably stinky as well. He had tossed his report at Tsunade and stumbled out. **

**He blamed his next actions on the fatigue. **

**He leapt from roof to roof and then landed on a windowsill of a smallish apartment. He peeked in between the curtains; just to make sure that the occupant inside was fine. **

**Iruka's tan skin was washed in the faint light of the streetlights and his hair looked darker than normal. He looked peaceful sleeping. **

**Then his eyelashes fluttered—probably instinctively recognising danger—and Kakashi saw strong sure hands go for a kunai. **

**He was gone from the window a heartbeat after Iruka's eyes had opened and as he bounded over the rook, he heard the faint sound of curtains being yanked aside and a window flying open. **

**He swore he felt Iruka's eyes on his back as he vanished into the night. **

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

**Kakashi only woke once in the seventeen hours he slept and that was to stumble to the bathroom. **

**He would have slept longer, but someone started knocking at his door and didn't go away and that only served to remind him that his bladder was full again. He debated for a moment about what to do—door or bladder, but his bladder won over the door in the end. He snagged his mask as he headed to the bathroom. **

**The person was still banging when he finished. If it was from the Hokage, he was going to chop the messenger up into small pieces and use them to feed Mortimer and fertilise Mr Ukki. The only way their lives might be saved if they were really, really hot and carrying the newest unreleased Icha Icha. **

**And it had to be a signed, special edition copy. **

**He tugged the door open, just enough to see who was there. A very tired-looking chunin holding a paper bag smiled at him. He blinked. "Kakashi! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, but I heard that you were back and I've missed you, so I thought I would swing by and see how you were doing and…" He paused and ducked his head, scratching his scar. "I'm sorry; I'm rambling, aren't I?"**

** Kakashi blinked again; he was never at his strongest after he woke up. "Iruka? How'd you get here?" **

**A flash of something like exhausted pride flickered across Iruka's face. "I walked." **

**Kakashi slowly stepped back, letting Iruka in. "All five flights?" **

**"All five flights. It was awful." Iruka limped in slowly. "I think my leg's going to fall off now."**

** Kakashi shut the door and turned around to do something; what, he'd never know because he suddenly found his arms full of warm chunin. **

**"I was so worried about you." Iruka's voice was private, hot, and tired. "I know you can take of yourself, but I worry anyhow. I'm glad you're safe." **

**"Gai wasn't that bad, was he?" Kakashi asked, a bit stupidly. Iruka recently seemed to have a negative effect on his cognitive abilities. **

**A soft rumble of laughter shook the brown man's shoulders. "Even mixing hot pink dye into his hair products didn't shut him up." He rubbed his face against Kakashi's pale shoulder and Kakashi was reminded of a cat. **

**He realised after a moment that more and more of Iruka's weight was leaning into him as they stood there and the nuzzling was getting slower. "You had better not be falling asleep on me." **

**Another rich chuckle, but this one was tired and slow. "I'm sorry." Very leisurely, Iruka slowly pulled himself away, but only slid back enough he could see Kakashi's covered face. Gentle fingers lightly brushed his masked cheek. "I brought food. I don't think it's warm anymore, but I thought since you got called away from our last dinner, we could have one now." **

**"Oh." **

**They stood there. Kakashi finally ducked his head slightly. "I'll…go and reheat it." He mumbled, grabbing the bag. He tried to ignore the brush of Iruka's sure fingers against his bare arm. **

**He was setting the cups out when Iruka gently reached over and tilted his head towards him. "If I'm moving too quickly," he said quietly, "please let me know. I don't want to scare you off because I'm impatient." **

**"What…" Kakashi' voice cracked like a teenagers and he could feel the red spreading across his cheeks. He tried again. "What are you talking about?" **

**"You freeze and then act like a school boy with his first crush." Iruka suddenly grinned. "I know I'm not ugly, but I'm not _that_ hot!" **

**"Don't say that. It's not true." Kakashi said before his brain caught up. "You're very…" His grey matter kicked him in the face and Kakashi was saved from further embarrassment with the timer going off. "Gotta go check on dinner." He hurried into the kitchen. **

**_Oh, you're smooth_. The little voice was back, berating him. _One kiss and a few hugs later and you completely fall apart at the seams!_ Kakashi stomped on it. He'd like to see it stand up to Iruka's chocolate gaze and say that. **

**Dinner was a quick and quiet affair, both men feeling the fatigue catching up to them rapidly. One look at Iruka and Kakashi knew the man would barely make it out the door, much less to his own apartment. It meant Iruka would be staying the night and that he had to change the sheets. **

**It also meant Kakashi was sleeping on the too-small couch. **

**Iruka looked mortified when Kakashi handed him some sleeping pants and an A-neck and told him 'goodnight'. "I can't take your bed! Where are you going to sleep?" A thought dawned on him. "You're too tall for that couch!" **

**"And you're not healed enough for that couch. Goodnight." **

**He hadn't even finished turning before he was being yanked back and the only thing that was stopping him from devoured completely was the thin material of his mask. **

**There was something that felt suspiciously like teeth on his lower lip and something thing licking at his top lip through the mask. Hands that he was fairly sure _weren't _his were sliding over his hips and the small of his back.**

** "I will not take your bed." A hot voice— also pretty certain not his—breathed into his startled and dazed mouth. "Either we share it or I sleep somewhere else." And before he could process anything, the aggressive mouth was back.**

** Kakashi realised that perhaps he should piece his head together because—goddamn it—he was ****_THE_ Copy Ninja! And the celebrated Sharingan Kakashi Hatake did NOT have a brain meltdown just because some chunin knew how to kiss! **

**Granted, said chunin knew how to kiss very, very, very, _very_ well. **

**Said chunin also fought dirty. **

**What was it that Asuma had said about Iruka going after things with a single-minded determination?**

** …Not that he'd be able think of it now… **

**He managed to get away from those demanding lips. "Aren't we supposed to wait until after the third date?" He gasped, not entirely positive that he wanted to escape from the hands that slid over his shoulders and tangled in his hair. **

**Iruka's grin was positively debauched and wolfish. "Let's not wait that long." His teeth found Kakashi's pulse before he pulled back slightly, and then yawned. "But I think I might have to collect on a later date. It'd be terrible if I fell asleep right when things got _interesting_." **

**Kakashi wasn't sure that he'd ever sleep again, but Iruka gave him a small push towards the bed before hobbling into the small bathroom to change. He felt the exhaustion quickly catch up to him as he sat down and was well on his way to dreamland by the time Iruka awkwardly slipped in next to him, shirt bordering on being indecent with how tight it was on him. **

**Somewhere, in the back of his consciousness, he thought perhaps he should protest when Iruka drew him close and tucked him up on his broad chest, but then Iruka combed his fingers through Kakashi's hair and the heart that thumped under Kakashi's ear was steady. He swiftly lost the battle to alertness.**


	12. Chapter 12

I've got a busy week in front of me, but hopefully, I'll make it through in mostly one piece. Anyhow, enjoy the chapter!**  
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**Kakashi woke up to Iruka petting his hair and the sounds of life in the chest below his ear. "Good morning." Iruka sounded relaxed and fulfilled, like this was all he had ever wanted in life. "Though it might be afternoon; I can't see your clock."**

** Kakashi simply listened to Iruka's heart and lungs before he decided that he might as well clear the air between them. "Iruka?" Iruka made a contented questioning noise, fingers still combing through his course hair. "What are you doing?" **

**"Stroking your hair. You should consider using a conditioner." **

**"No, I mean…what are you doing here?" **

**The hands paused and then Iruka was detangling them enough so he could look Kakashi in the face. "It's called courtship. When two people find each other attractive and find out that their personalities compliment each others, they can start dating and having—"**

** "I know what courtship is!" Kakashi snapped, feeling slightly panicky at the choice of words. Having Iruka say it made it more _there_, more tangible, and harder to escape from. Iruka's eyes hardened. **

**"If you ask 'why me', I'll stuff rabid minks in your pants and then tell Anko that you said that you'd buy her all the dango she wants for the next month." He said in the voice Kakashi had secretly dubbed the 'I'm going to slap you with a really big fuckin' ruler' voice. "And if you try to tell me that you're not interested, I'll make sure that Naruto finds a way to see that Jiraiya-sama doesn't have time to write his _name_ much less _anything_ else for the next five years as well as giving you the shittiest missions I can get my hands on to top it all off for stringing me on!" **

**"Stringing you—?" **

**"Kakashi, even you can't be that clueless!" When all Kakashi did was blink, mask hollowing as he opened and closed his month in an attempt to keep up with the new events, Iruka made a slightly exasperated noise. "You flirted with me the entire time I was in the hospital up until the point that Anko and Raidou-san were asking me if we were dating! Gai-san asked me what my intentions towards you were and that if I broke your heart, he would fight me to defend your honour and to make me regret my ways! Tsunade-sama would giggle whenever she asked me about you! When I made advancements back, you accepted them and did nothing to give me any indication that you were opposed to having a relationship! You didn't push me away when I kissed you and you've done nothing to stop me from doing anything else!" Strong fingers curled harshly in the front of Kakashi's shirt. "You've given indications of surprise, astonishment, and shyness as well as occasionally acting like a ten-year-old with a crush, but never _once_ have you indicated that this was unwelcomed!" **

**It was hard to think about anything with the anger barely covering the hurt that shimmered in Iruka's brown eyes. "I just—I mean," Kakashi finally made his mouth work, "I don't know if I can…I don't think I'd make a good boyfriend." A completely inadequate statement in his eyes, but he'd work on rhetoric later. He couldn't continue trying to force distance any more; Iruka had shown him that it wasn't going to work. Even trying to force himself into to mission-mode didn't work because Iruka was too alive, too human to be a machine around. "I don't want you to get hurt and I'm not sure that we've thought this...I mean…I don't…I won't…you shouldn't be forcing yourself to stay or—" **

**"Shh." The hurt had vanished from the scarred face and tenderness had replaced it. Iruka untangled his fingers from Kakashi's shirt and smoothed hair away, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have snapped at you. I guess I was scared that the worse was going to happen. It didn't cross my mind that I was appearing that I hadn't thought this through. I _have_ thought about this and I'm guessing that this isn't going to be easy for either of us. But we're grown men and we're the kind who will fight something that is worth fighting for. I think we can make this work and I think we can make it good and I'm willing to fight for it." He brushed a quick kiss to Kakashi's eyebrow. "I won't say that you'll be a wonderful boyfriend, because I don't know, but I'm willing to say that you'll not purposely hurt me, yes?" **

**Kakashi felt insulted at the very thought and made it clear. Iruka smiled, and braided his fingers back into Kakashi's silver hair. **

**They lay entangled for a moment, Kakashi lost in a maze of coffee-brown eyes when Iruka spoke up. "I want to kiss you," he said quietly, face warm and eyes hot. As Kakashi blinked, he continued. "I can wait to see your face, but I want to kiss you and taste _you_ and not a mask in my mouth." Kakashi tried to suppress the shiver that followed the chunin's words, but Iruka noticed and it seemed to make him bolder. **

**His breath was suddenly in Kakashi's ear, lips caressing the lobe. "I want to know if you taste like you smell. Your scent is like strong steel wrapped under layers of forest and sun." Kakashi couldn't hide the tremble this time. Iruka's teeth teased the flesh right behind his ear, causing a deeper shudder. "I want to know if your taste will explode across my tongue or if it will be a subtle creep through my mouth, infiltrating every corner." The teeth slowly nipped along the wired and lean neck muscles. "Will you linger in the dark recesses of my mouth so I can find your flavour after you've been gone for a while or will it be something I'll have to constantly renew?" **

**There was a needy sound and it wasn't until Iruka's hard chest rumbled with a husky chuckle that Kakashi realised that he had been the one who made it. He had no time to be embarrassed, as those sinful lips were brushing his ear again. "But I can't find any of these things out through a mask. It's a tragedy that I can't know, isn't it?" **

**The shiver this time was so deep that Kakashi felt it in his marrow. He almost couldn't yank his mask off, his fingers were so excited. "Off." He muttered as he carelessly tossed it aside and followed Iruka's hand as they pulled him forwards hungrily.**

** Iruka tasted warm—almost hot—and Kakashi welcomed the greedy tongue into his mouth in probably an embarrassingly short time. Iruka pushed further into his month, and rolled Kakashi underneath him, using his weight to push his mouth deeper into Kakashi's. Kakashi's fingers scrabbled over the muscled planes of Iruka's back, trying to find something to ground himself. The shirt was so tight it felt like he was clutching Iruka's skin. **

**He gasped when Iruka's sure hands found the bottom of his shirt and forced it up and out of the way. Iruka ripped his month away and before Kakashi could finish his moan of disappointment, Iruka had yanked his shirt over his head. He left it on Kakashi's arm, clearly not having the patience to wait until it was completely off before his mouth was slanting over Kakashi's almost violently and his hands devouring the pale flesh beneath. **

**Kakashi had a quick fight with himself—he wanted to pull his shirt off completely so he could press the tan body closer, but to get the shirt off of his arms and shoulders, he would have to let go of Iruka and push him away long enough to wrestle it off. Shirt or Iruka? No Iruka or no shirt? **

**The debate ended sharply when Iruka licked his tonsils and scrapped his fingers over a particularly sensitive group of scars on his lower ribs. As Kakashi arched and cried out around the insatiable tongue, Iruka pushed his leg further between Kakashi's. Kakashi's hands slid down to grasp Iruka's hips and Iruka answered with something that was part groan and part growl. **

**Iruka suddenly pulled back and panted. "There's someone at—" was as far as he got before Kakashi's head caught up and pushed his tongue into Iruka's mouth. He explored the willing orifice for a moment, then he caught the other tongue and dragged it back into his own mouth. **

**Dimly, Kakashi heard a door bouncing open and then there was a booming "My Eternal Rival! I have the Perfect Youthful—" **

**Silence followed and the moment Iruka's mouth snapped away, Kakashi buried his face into the crook of Iruka's neck. "I told you to stop doing that. Go away, Gai, and don't ever come back." He muttered into the hot flesh. **

**"I am Everlastingly Sorry! I did not know you were exploring Virile Youthful Activities and I did not mean to interrupt you and your Valuable Time with your Precious Person! For doing so, I shall do am Invigorating Jig around Konoha Fifty Times at Double Time!" Gai gushed, eyes streaming tears of…something. "I am Overjoyed that you have found such a Valiant Person to spend your Important Waking Moments with! Your Youthful Love shall Inspire others to open their Guarded Hearts for the Wondrous Emotion that is Love! Your Joy has given me Hope that I might be able to find a Precious Person of my own to Woo and Court! If I cannot find someone as Youthful and Full of Life as I am to spend my Time with, I shall make five Beautiful Flower Bouquets for Every Person who does not have a Precious Person over 16 years old—" **

**"Oh gods, make it stop." Kakashi groaned. If he had his mask, he would have thrown Gai out himself. Thought, he had to admit, spending time with his nose buried in Iruka's scent was nice and the soft noise Iruka made when he kissed the skin right below Iruka's clavicle was delightful. **

**"Gai-san." Oh, that was Iruka's 'don't mess with me, I'm a badder teacher than you!' voice. _Sexy_, Kakashi noted. He briefly wondered if Iruka was up for some…'literary' readings. "Please leave and make sure the door is locked on your way out." **

**"I shall leave you to your Amorous Advances!" Gai roared. "Farewell, my Eternal Rival! Farewell, Valiant Iruka-sensei! Please forgive my Unbecoming Distraction!" **

**The doorframe shuddered under the force of Gai's leaving. **

**"Well, that certainly killed the mood." Kakashi grumbled, finally managing to pry one of his hands from Iruka to blindly look for his mask. And just when things were getting good, too. **

**Iruka's rich laugh filled him. "If you insist." He shifted and Kakashi realised that Iruka had his eyes closed. He sighed slightly as he pulled away (nipping Iruka's throat before completely pulling away) and found his mask. **

**"Breakfast?" He asked, wondering how on ear****th his leg got to where it was situated. **

**Iruka opened his warm eyes and his smile was brilliant. "Breakfast would be fantastic."**

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	13. Chapter 13

The long week is over! It was filled with both good and bad things, but it's done, and that's the important thing.

Thank you everyone who reviewed! It made the week go by so much faster and better.

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** Kakashi learned quickly that Iruka was hungry. He had never had to fend off (or succumbed) to so many kiss-and-grope attacks in his life. Little things would set Iruka off—a head tilt, a brush against a hand or foot (Iruka had wildly sensitive hands and feet), a careless shrug, a cold beer—and then Kakashi would find himself being yanked out of sight and pressed against something mostly sturdy and kissed swiftly breathless before Iruka would let go and causally hobble down the street as if nothing had happened.**

** Hands kept appearing in places that hands shouldn't be materialising. It floored him that Iruka would be so shy about him reading Icha Icha or have troubles keeping a blush off of his face when saying something that had a bit of innuendo in it, yet was so shameless when it came to acting these things out. More than once, Kakashi had to put some distance in between them because Iruka kept nonchalantly coping feels of various parts of Kakashi's anatomy—in public, no less! It wasn't that he was a prude or that he was against public molestations, but _really_. Having his butt squeezed when Hiashi Hyuga was standing _right there_ made for some awkward moments.**

** It also felt a little bit strange because Iruka was terribly possessive. Kakashi had always figured that if he ever started seeing someone, he would be the jealous and overprotective one in the relationship. He would be the one constantly leaving hickies and prowling around to make sure that no-one got too close to his lover. Instead, he found himself the source of many curious stares and whispers after his fourth or fifth make-out session with Iruka. He found out what it was when Raidou asked him what had happened to his ear and Genma had asked—in a sort of impressed disbelief—if that was a love bite on his ear and where on earth he had found a girl who could do that (and if she had a sister or close second cousin—Genma claimed he wouldn't be too picky). Kakashi confronted Iruka about it later. He had shrugged and blushed and said he wanted to make it clear Kakashi was off the market and what _else_ was he supposed to do when he wore a mask all the time?!**

** It was…different, to say the least.**

** Not that he was complaining. It had been ages since the last time he let himself get involved in a physical relationship and even longer since he let himself consider something emotional. He also was trying to digest the fact that he had someone that he could…experiment with. While he had already gotten punched for suggesting a few of Jiraiya's more…creative ideas, he had gotten a blush or two at others, and he filed those away for when Iruka was in a state to be more flexible…and quite possibly drunk, as well.**

** Kakashi decided if he was going to be trying to get some Icha Icha action out of Iruka in the future, he needed to take the man out on a date at least. However, that posed a small problem as Kakashi wasn't sure what the etiquette was for dating a man. He knew what one did when they were pursuing a female or wanted to pick up someone for the night or even what one did when hanging out with friends, but what does one do when then want to pursue a male for longer than one night?**

** He briefly entertained the idea of treating the date the same way one treated a woman, but quickly discarded the idea. Iruka was anything but that and would probably make sure that Kakashi never forgot that again—not that Kakashi ever intended to.**

** Which brought him back to his current dilemma—how do you date a man? Did flowers make it too girly? Would chocolate be acceptable? Did you go out to dinner? Did going out for drinks give too much of the 'I want to get you tipsy so we can fuck for one night' vibe? Or did it say 'this is something I can do with any old pal' kind of thing?**

** He tried looking to his beloved Icha Icha for inspiration, but even that was a little weak in the areas of dating. There was plenty of advice and ideas for later on, but not as much for the dating part of things. He was on his own for this one.**

** The first thing to do would be to gather information. One, he knew that Iruka liked ramen and sweets. Two, Iruka packed a mean punch. Three, Iruka liked a cold beer. Four, Iruka blushed very prettily when he thought he had done something (like groping Kakashi or saying something dirty) when a child was nearby. Five, Iruka liked to lick—okay, that would certainly get him into trouble for indecent exposure or something like that and the idea of being arrested struck Kakashi as one of the quickest mood-killers and the second most unromantic thing ever. Six, Iruka didn't really like being fussed over. Seven, Iruka liked children and listening to their cries of agony when he assigned another day of 'building character'. Eight, Iruka enjoyed watching movies with lots of fights and explosions.**

** …**

** …so maybe that information gathering session hadn't been all that helpful.**

** But luck was with him. He had been buying some groceries when he had overheard a civilian gushing to her friend about how her boyfriend had arranged a private picnic for the two of them and how romantic it was that he had gone through all the trouble to make sure that she felt pampered. **

** Kakashi chewed over the idea that evening. It looked good. No bad or mixed messages seemed to come out of it, and he could handle a picnic. Of course, it'd have to be an evening thing, with Iruka working his way back into his jobs, but Kakashi could work with that. **

** He staked out the best spot—one that was secluded but not too far from the village, one that had a good view of the sky and lights of the village, and was easy to get to. It had enough space that one could move around in it, but closeness would be encouraged. There were also tree branches nearby to provide some shelter if the weather decided not to cooperate. **

** The next thing would be to get things to eat. Kakashi carefully picked out things that he thought would say romance without saying 'I don't respect you enough to acknowledge your masculinity' kind of thing. Granted, there was probably more alcohol planned then was probably safe, but Kakashi reasoned they didn't have to drink _all_ of it. **

** He felt good about things. He had thought his way through the food, event, and potential disasters. He had double checked to make sure there was no sleazy vibe and no quick fuck vibe. It seemed romantic without seeming sappy, and both could walk away feeling good about their manliness. **

** Kakashi settled back and waited for the evening to come. **

**xXxXxXxXxXx **

** "Are you still sulking?" **

** "I'm not sulking," Kakashi muttered sullenly. He kicked at a loose rock, spattering water droplets everywhere, and imagined the rock gaining momentum and lodging itself in the ears of certain people. It was a good thought. **

** "You're acting like Neji in the darkest throes of his angsty years." Iruka observed and Kakashi scowled harder. Did Iruka _have_ to go and stomp on his already lacerated pride? **

** "Neji was more fatalistic." He wanted to childishly argue with Iruka on the point, but since the man dealt with children all time, he got the feeling the chunin would win. It didn't stop him from being petulant, though. **

** Iruka limped soggily alongside of him for a moment. "You know," he said finally, "it's not your fault. You had no way of knowing that it had strawberries in it." Kakashi glared harder at his sodden feet. "The hives will go away soon and it's not like I'm _deathly_ allergic to them. I mean, my throat didn't swell up too much this time. The antihistamine that Shizune provided worked wonders, even if it was a little salty. I could have done without the sobbing or the speech about my happiness being the most important thing, though." He added thoughtfully. **

**Kakashi didn't answer and kicked another rock. Dating, he decided, was evil. Eviler than children, eviler than a drunk Tsunade, eviler than a hiatus for Jiraiya (but not as evil as Gai in the morning when one has a hangover). There had to be better ways to…_do_ this whole thing. **

** "And there was no way that you could have known that the light drizzle that was predicted would turn into a half hour long storm with gala-force winds. Or that the rain would encourage the mosquitoes to come out and breed." Iruka, apparently, wasn't finished reminding him how badly things had gone. "Or that Keni-san's team would be practicing their earth jutsus. Or that Yoka character had become a missing ninja—" **

** "Would you please just shut up?" Kakashi growled. **

** "You're not still angry at Tsunade-sama and Sakura-chan for having that camera and suggesting positions, are you? Or is it directed more at Anko for encouraging Ibiki-san and Gai-san with their fight?"**

** "I asked you not to talk about it. And she wasn't 'encouraging' them; she was egging them on." Kakashi snapped, feeling wet and cold and miserable. He half-way wanted to pick a fight with Iruka because then he could have an excuse to say nasty things and then go home and fume in peace. **

** Iruka, the stubborn bastard, didn't take the bait. "Well, yes, she was, but I tend to find that Anko doesn't really know the difference between the two. At least they moved on pretty quickly, not like Konohamaru-kun and Ebisu-san." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't envy the questions that Ebisu-san is going to have to answer now." **

** "Can we NOT keep talking about this?" Kakashi snarled. **

** He felt Iruka's gaze at him, and then suddenly felt it soften. "Idiot," Iruka said gently as he pulled Kakashi back to stand in front of him. "Just because your date didn't turn out the way you wanted it to doesn't mean it failed. It wasn't the best date I've ever been on, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy myself. It was sweet and obvious that you put a lot of time and effort into trying to make it special. I liked feeling like you wanted to pamper me." He lightly cupped Kakashi's damp masked cheek. His voice dropped an octave. "I liked watching you try to get rid of everyone so you could have me to yourself." **

** Kakashi swallowed. Damn that chunin and his way with words! Iruka had quickly discovered that it was the _words_ in Icha Icha that had Kakashi in its thrall and few things gained a response like words could. While visuals were wonderful and anticipation from a touch good and predatory glances nice, the fastest and best way to wind Kakashi into frenzy was to use words (Iruka had gleefully realized it didn't matter if it was written or spoken and Kakashi was almost scared to open his books now in cause Iruka had left yet _another_ note in them). **

** Iruka trailed a single finger down Kakashi arm lightly. "I liked that you had picked a spot that had the option of having some privacy." He murmured, breath hot and insistent against Kakashi's ear. "And that you had candles, even if they _did_ start that fire. I always want to see you bathed in the flickering glow of candlelight. Maybe next time, we can try it with less"—here the single finger slid over the zipper on Kakashi's vest—"_obstructions_ in the way." **

** Kakashi felt proud to say that this time, he didn't whimper. **

** Iruka's smile definitely had a dark feral edge to it when he pulled backs slightly. "Aren't you going to let me finish walking you home?" Helpless in the face of Iruka's 'bedroom' voice, Kakashi could only nod stupidly and stare dumbly, using _way_ too much chakra to control his body. **

** Iruka's smile got darker and hungrier. He stepped back, but that only seemed to increase craving in the normally quiet brown eyes. Kakashi wondered if he'd survive the rest of the evening because if they were attacked, he wasn't sure he could get enough blood up to his brain. **

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx **

** Later that evening, sated and utterly filthy, they lay there, breathing hard. **

** "I can't believe I was stupid enough I didn't do that to you immediately after I first kissed you." Iruka finally muttered, prying his fingers from the death grip they had on Kakashi. **

** Kakashi 'hm'd' in agreement. "We're going to have to make up for that lost time."**

** Iruka's grin was tired, but surprisingly lecherous. "That is quite possibly the most intelligent thing I think I've ever heard you say." He nuzzled Kakashi's throat and cuddled him close. "Let's start tomorrow immediately." **

** Kakashi finally grabbed the edge of a blanket with his toes and wrestled it up without disturbing Iruka's arms. "We can't do too much or you'll never make it through your therapy tomorrow." He dropped it carelessly over them both. **

** Iruka wrinkled his nose. "I'd forgotten about that. Kidnap me and take me to a secluded mountain hideaway where you can have your wicked ways with me?" **

** Kakashi smiled slowly. "I'll see if I can't find one with a hot spring nearby." **

** "If there's a hot spring, you'll get a fantasy of your choosing." **

** Kakashi glanced up, fascinated. "Promise? Any fantasy I want?" **

**"Maybe not _any_ fantasy, but I can compromise." Iruka leisurely licked the vertical scar that bisected Kakashi's eye. "And depending on how good you are, I can be…_bribed_."**

** That did it. Kakashi was never going to leave this bed for anything—other than maybe something like shower sex or kitchen table sex—_ever_ again. **

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If you are of the legal age in your area and are interested in the parts that were cut from this chapter (a completely plotless chapter that would have happened at the second break in the chapter) you can go to http://jarredgoddess livejournal com/5982 html (replace all the spaces with periods) and you can read it there. 


	14. Chapter 14

Well, since I'm out of town when I normally would post, here's the last chapter--early, no less! I thought about submitting it later, but decided that since people have been so great about giving me reviews and support that I'd give it you early. So, why are you still reading this? Go! Read!

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**Kakashi woke up with his front deliciously warm and his back fairly chilled. He shifted and winced. A hot shower was definitely going to be in order. That and some painkillers. **

** He opened his eyes slowly and smiled slightly at the broad expanse of tanned skin that spread out under his cheek. Briefly, he wondered if he could get use to this and whether it would be healthy for his reflexes and instincts, and then decided he didn't care. **

** The clock told him he'd have to get up soon; he'd planned on visiting Asuma and after that, seeing if Raidou's long standing invitation to join his weekly rummy game was still open (and if the alcohol was free-flowing as everyone swore it was; drunk ninjas made for great blackmail material). Then there was the issue of finding a cabin by a hot spring and getting vacation time and starting his working his way up to 'anything he wanted' out of Iruka. Put that on top of visiting the Memorial Stone, hiding from Gai's challenges, feeding his dogs, and making sure that Iruka got where he needed to be, it lead for a very full day.**

** But he'd start it in a moment. Iruka's breathing was relaxing and the heart that pulsed under his nose when he nuzzled the throat was a delightful reminder of life. It was a good way to start out the day, reminding him why he still lived and why he did what he did. **

** He wondered if Iruka was up to conserving some water… **

** A change in the chakra underneath his cheek told him that his pillow was waking up. Despite the fact that his back was cold (it seemed the blanket had gone on a vacation to the floor during the night), Kakashi wasn't quite ready to get up. He burrowed closer to the other man. **

** Iruka's eyes were muzzy with sleep, but warm with contentment. He murmured something that vaguely resembled a salutation, and carefully smoothed his fingers down Kakashi's pale back. He frowned suddenly. "Back's freezing!"**

** "It was for a good cause." **

** "What, keeping me warm?" Iruka rubbed the cold flesh, encouraging blood to flow in the muscles. **

** "I think that's a good enough cause." **

** He smiled, but tried to make it leave quickly. "But it won't do me any good if you get sick from being cold." **

** Kakashi leered. "You'd help me get better." **

** "I don't kiss sick people." Iruka said firmly. "Much less do anything else of that nature with them." Kakashi managed to look horrified. "It will just have to encourage you to stay healthy, now won't it?"**

** "Cruelty." Kakashi grumbled. "That's just plain cruel." **

** The soft laughter rumbled through his body. "I'm a heartless boyfriend, I know." **

**_Boyfriend_. The great Kakashi Hatake had a boyfriend. It felt good, but definitely strange. He never thought he'd get one, never thought he'd ever let someone close enough to consider that as a possibility. **

** "Iruka?" Kakashi asked a few moments later. "May I ask you something?" **

**The corner of Iruka's mouth twitched. "Yes, you may." ** ** "What _were_ you doing on that mission?" **

** He could _feel_ Iruka rolling his eyes. "You've been dying for an answer for that one, haven't you?" **

** Kakashi shrugged. "I'm not questioning your skills. I just want to know what happened." **

** "The details—" **

** "Are confidential, I know. I just…can't figure out what happened to make things turn out the way that they did." **

** The hand that was petting his back slowed. Silence fell over the two. Kakashi waited patiently. **

** "I…guess that I'm good at making myself seem less of a threat than others." Iruka finally murmured. "People are more inclined to trust me then they are, say, Izumo-kun. I also appear less…violent than most ninjas to others, I guess." **

** "Mm, haven't heard you threaten people." Kakashi let Iruka hold him tighter.**

**"I don't _threaten_ people." Iruka sounded mildly indignant. "I tell them what consequences their actions will bring about." **

** "A statement of facts?" **

** "Of course." There was another pause in the conversation before Iruka took a deep breath. "I want an honest answer out of you if I say any more about this. It's a fair trade."**

** Kakashi pondered the option for a moment. "Am I allowed to not answer the question if I don't want to?" **

** "Only if I get another question." **

** "So you'd keep asking until I got to one that I'd want to answer?" **

** "Not one that you want to answer, but one you will answer honestly." **

** "I suppose that's fair enough. But you still get to go first." **

** Iruka rolled his eyes again. "Paranoid much?" He muttered. Kakashi bit his tan healthy shoulder lightly in revenge. **

** "I was picked for to accompany the others for a couple of reasons." Iruka finally said, a few moments later. "Partially for the aforementioned reasons, but also because since I'm a chunin and a teacher, I'm not very visible to others as a ninja and that made me a good choice. I was to be the cover for an information-gathering mission. All we were doing was seeing what was being said on the streets in another country about how open they were interested in…doing some political dealings and things like that." A small smile flickered over his face. "I've dealt with enough challenging children that I can imitate the spoiled rich lordings very well. The others were to act as my hired guards, my concubine, or my manservant." **

** His hands slowly returned to stroking Kakashi's back, the movement unconscious. "We had thought that we had done a good job and had a good grasp on what was happening. We didn't blow cover once and had no slip-ups. I don't know how they knew we weren't what we said we were, but we were just outside the boarders when they hit us hard. We hadn't fooled them at all." **

** Kakashi braided his fingers through Iruka's and let the man cling to him. It was easier for him to see Iruka as a competent and strong ninja now, but it still seemed wrong for him to be just a killing tool, a tool like Kakashi was. **

** "It was…a bloody fight." Iruka finally said, voice quieter and further away. "I…can't really tell you much more than that, without going into details that would compromise the mission." **

** "It was a terrain influenced battle?" **

** The warm body relaxed almost imperceptivity. "Very much so." Iruka's strong hands slid over his back again. "Does that answer your question?" **

** "It was more than I was expecting." **

** "Maybe you'll keep that in mind," he muttered. Kakashi suddenly found himself on the receiving end of one of Iruka's 'Stern Teacher' gazes. "What were you really doing that day you were gone?"**

** Kakashi blinked. "Is…that your question?" **

** "I want you to be _honest_ about it." **

**He tried to keep his smugness down. This was going to much easier than he thought. "I told you, Mr Ukki had been looking droopy and lonely, so I went looking for someone to keep him company and I found Mortimer. The two are getting along swimmingly, by the way. They'll be glad to know you asked about them." **

** Iruka looked suspicious. "Who are Mr Ukki and Mortimer?"**

** Kakashi debated being annoying and telling Iruka that he had used up his question, but since Iruka had very good access to parts that he'd like to keep, Kakashi kept that thought to himself. "You'd like to meet them?" He grinned. "They've heard _so_ much about you!" **

** He wasn't messing with Iruka's head. **

** Not at all. **

** Iruka appeared more perplexed as Kakashi sat up and yanked his mask on before pulling his curtains open all the way. He grinned to himself. This was going to be fun. "Oh Mr Ukki! Mortimer! There's someone who'd like to meet you!" **

** Slowly sitting up, Iruka carefully looked over Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi, there's nothing there." **

** "Now Iruka-sensei, don't say that. Mortimer is very sensitive about his height, and we wouldn't want this relationship to start off on a bad foot, now would we?" **

** The chunin stared at the two plants that were growing cheerfully on Kakashi's window sill. "You vanished for over a day for a plant." **

** "Mr Ukki isn't just a plant! He's a very good pet. He's cleaner than Pakkun and the other dogs are, doesn't demand steaks, and I never have to worry about him being affected by the spring or female dogs. And Mortimer keeps the bugs down, so I'm glad that he gets along with Mr Ukki." **

** "A whole day for a _plant_?!" **

** "Naruto would be very angry if I let Mr Ukki die or be miserable. Anyhow, I think it's perfectly reasonable to be gone for a whole day to take care of my pets." **

** "It's a_ plant_—wait, what does Naruto have to do with this?" **

** Kakashi inwardly smirked. He knew that would derail the teacher. "Naruto gave me Mr Ukki and he'd be very upset with me if I didn't take good care of him." **

** Iruka stared at him. He finally shook his head. "You're crazy," he said, but the corner of his lip twitched with amusement. "And I'm telling Pakkun that you said that a plant makes a better companion than he does." **

** "He already knows that Mr Ukki and Mortimer are cleaner and quieter than him." Kakashi pulled the curtains shut again while Iruka's sure fingers yanked his mask off. "He also knows if he gives me too much grief, he won't get any more steaks or new shampoo." **

** "Of course." Kakashi got the distinct impression that Iruka wasn't devoting his full attention to the conversation any more as he had started to nuzzle the spot behind Kakashi's ear. "So now you see why it was so important that I find someone for Mr Ukki. I think he's happier now that he has someone he can—" **

** "Kakashi." Ou, it was the 'listen up _now!_' teacher voice. Kakashi resisted the urge to shudder. **

** "Yes?" **

** "Lose the mask and get down here." **

** Kakashi grinned slowly. **

** Maybe working up to 'any fantasy he wanted' was going to happen quicker than he thought it was going to.**

_**x Fin x**_

* * *

I hope that you all enjoyed this! I'm sort of working on another piece right now, and I'm tentiviely penning a sequel 'The End of the Honeymoon', but hopefully, one or both will pan out and I'll be posting here againd soon. Either way, everyone who has read, reviewd, and/or favourited this, I want to thank you all for letting me know that you enjoyed this. Even more points go to you who pointed out my numerous grammatical errors and such constructive feedback so I can continue to get better as a writer. You all are the best. Thank you all. 

Until then!


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